by Will Douglas
C The Griffon flies at dawn, my friends, the Griffon flies at dawn
To march among the kingdoms with our talents and our brawn
The Dragon's wing which sheltered us and kept us safe is gone
Tell all the kingdoms everywhere the Griffon flies at dawn
1 Hail Dragon sire who fathered us and raised us from the egg
And proudly watched us take our first step on that shaky leg
We humbly come before you with one last request to beg
Come let the Dragon roar with joy, the Griffon flies at dawn
(chorus)
2 To all our friends and kinsmen in the land of Calontir
And all our friends and kinsmen way up north in Ealdormere
Who showed us how to stand and face the future without fear
Tell all our kinsmen everywhere the Griffon flies at dawn
(chorus)
3 To you who sit upon the thrones and rule us by your right
Of having won the tournament to demonstrate your might
We trust you now to take us on our glorious first flight
Your Majesties will lead us as the Griffon flies at dawn
(chorus)
4 And every single Northshielder can fit within my song
For whether arts or sciences or service all day long
Or honor on the battlefield is yours to take along
Tell all the Northshield "Raise your voice, the Griffon flies at
dawn!"
(chorus)
5 From Caer Anterth's great lake and up to Castel Rouge's snow
From Shattentor's broad hills way up to Skerrstrand's woods you know
That all the lands of Northshield glisten in the North Star's glow
Tell all who starlight reaches that the Griffon flies at dawn
(chorus)
6 Now please don't be offended if your group's not in my spiel
I have a little trouble with a name like Lub Siochail
And only with great effort can I utter Coille Stoirmeil
Tell all the groups I can't pronounce the Griffon flies at dawn
(chorus)
Tell all the kingdoms everywhere the Griffon flies at dawn
Background: I've never been able to write the "hoo-raw, here we are, we're Northshield!" king of song the other bards around these parts write. But I've always wanted to.
I was in Calontir, at a joint event between Nordskogen and Coeur d'Ennui (Des Moines, IA) with my lady, Arianna the Harper. Something about being there, with her, made me really love Northshield. I got the phrase "The Griffon Flies at Dawn" running through my head, but it didn't do anything for a few days.
Then I got my standard three-verses-and-a-chorus.
I thought everything was cool, but a few days later, while I was heading in to work, three more verses boiled up out of somewhere. (I don't know where, but if I did, I'd live there!)
The result is above. I'm very happy with it. And others are too; after singing it for the first time, three other bards gave me tokens (which are generally small items of jewelry or some such, of little intrinsic value but of great sentimental value.) That really made me feel good.
Also, the crowd sang along with the chorus, and also bust out laughing when I got to verse six. ;)
Debut: Northshield First Coronation, bardic post-revel