To the meter and rhyme of the poem "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes (1906, 1913), that was sung as a song on a Loreena McKennitt (sp?) album that I can't recall the name of right now.

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The Nightingale by Kelida

I.

The wood had a silence in the evening through which one birdsong rang;

The moon was rising in the distance, while only one bird sang;

The rest of the forest was quiet, respectful of the sound,

And the nightingale was singing--

Singing--singing--

The nightingale was singing for all who gather'd 'round.

II.

The song was clear as a mountain spring, as strong as an ancient tree;

As wild as the untamed forest, the bird seemed forever free;

With a voice the was part of the dusk, the nightingale sang for the sky--

She sang for her love of the evening,

Her voice was part of the evening,

She sang in the glowing evening, with a lovely but fleeting cry.

III

Over and over she warbled and sang from her lofty perch;

The tune of the song took a mournful turn, a sign of deep-down hurts.

She whistled a tune for her pain then, and who should have heard her cry,

But the early evening hunter,

The music-killing hunter,

Hunting for doves in the dusk, the man for whom she'd die.

IV

And out of the deep wood shadows, a shot rang out in the night,

The nightingale's song ended, her life went out like a light.

One last long note came from the lungs, a mournful sound indeed,

For the nightingale's life was ended,

Her song was finally ended--

Her song was finally ended, for the best of birds was dead.

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I'm not sure if I like this myself, but I guess I'll see what everyone else thinks. :^|

Peace-- Keli