The Old Clock on the Stairs
Based on a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Arranged/altered/adapted by Beck Siàn.
Acoustic guitar and vocals by Beck Siàn.
Special guest musicians 'Whalebone' (Guitar by Char Watson, guitar by Steve Downs and fiddle by Sarah Ibberson).
Somewhat back from the village street
Stands the old-fashioned country seat.
Across its antique portico
Tall poplar trees their shadows throw;
And from its station in the hall
An ancient timepiece says it all -
"Forever - never!
Never - forever!"
Half-way up the stairs it stands,
And points and beckons with its hands
From its case of massive oak,
Like a monk, who, under his cloak,
Crosses himself, and sighs, alas!
With sorrowful voice to all who pass, -
"Forever - never!
Never - forever!"
By day its voice is low and light;
But in the silent dead of night,
Distinct as a passing footstep's fall,
It echoes along the vacant hall,
Along the ceiling, along the floor,
And seems to say at each chamber - door, -
"Forever - never!
Never - forever!"
In that mansion used to be
Free-hearted hospitality;
His great fires up the chimney roared;
The stranger feasted at his board,
But, like the skeleton at the feast,
That warning timepiece never ceased, -
"Forever - never!
Never - forever!"
From that chamber, clothed in white,
The bride came forth on her wedding night;
There, in that silent room below,
The dead lay in his shroud of snow;
And in the hush that followed the prayer,
Was heard the old clock on the stair, -
"Forever - never!
Never - forever!"
All are scattered now and fled,
Some are married, some are dead;
And when I ask, with throbs of pain,
"Ah! When shall they all meet again?"
As in the days long since gone by,
The ancient timepiece makes reply, -
"Forever - never!
Never - Forever!"
© Beck Siàn/Haunted Forest Productions 2012
Her Soul to a Highwayman
Music by Chris Gill
Lyrics and vocals by Beck Siàn.
He emerged from the dark trees
Paused in the moonlit clearing
Her feet moved forward
Magnetic pull
An old soul, she thought
An old soul
She had to touch him
Mesmerised by his eyes
Then only a breath between them
Those dark, dark eyes
Her sighs, her sighs
His head to the left
His teeth to her neck
Nipples tingling and hardening
Mmmmmmmmmm
A string, rough hand
On her lower back
Another in her hair
Fingers through her hair
Then lips bruising lips
Mouths open, tongues colliding
Sighs from hips to fingertips
And she was crushed
Against his chest
His scent was wild:
Trodden leaves and earth and rain
And at his nape
Her fingers found leather
And tugged and pulled
A long black cascade tumbled around
Moonlit faces
All amongst the heather
All amongst the heather
© Beck Siàn/Haunted Forest Productions 2012
Top Withens
Acoustic guitar, music and vocals by Beck Siàn.
© Beck Siàn/Haunted Forest Productions 2012
Tales of a Wayside Inn
Words from a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Arranged/altered/adapted by Beck Siàn.
Music, acoustic guitar and vocals by Beck Siàn.
The windows of the wayside inn
Gleamed red with fire-light through the leaves
With crimson curtains rent and thin
And woodbine hanging from the eaves.
A kind of old Hobgoblin Hall
Now somewhat fallen to decay
With weather-stains upon the wall
And old scents which won't fade away.
A region of repose it seems
And stairways worn, and crazy doors,
A place of slumber and of dreams
Of creaking and uneven floors.
The fire-light shedding over all
It crowns the sombre clock with flame
It gleams on wainscot and on wall
And flashes on the window-pane.
Before the blazing fire of wood
A bowing phantom musician stood
And ever and anon he bent
His head upon his instrument.
The shadows on the wainscot stirred
And from the harpsichord there came
Slipping forth through time was heard
A ghostly murmur of acclaim.
© Beck Siàn/Haunted Forest Productions 2012
The Mirror in the Deserted Hall
Music by Chris Gill
Lyrics and vocals by Beck Siàn.
A flicker in the mirror
Over the shoulder
A glimpse of white
Mist in flight
A glimmer of face
Gliding by, out of place
A displaced sigh
Shuffling by
A creak of boards
A scratch of mice
A groan of doors
And those watching unseen eyes...
Can I share this house with you?
Can we co-exist?
Me with haunted face by day
And you lost in the mist...
© Beck Siàn/Haunted Forest Productions 2012