The Dryad
Julie Shiel
in the midst of the wood,
there lives a great oak tree,
where a faery ring once stood.
In the curve of its branches,
in the roughness of bark,
the dryad continues
though the world has grown stark.
Her eyes are the green
of her moss covered oak,
and her skin is the brown
of the tree she evokes.
She speaks with the whispers
of the wind through the leaves,
her voice falling silent
each winter as she grieves.
She dances with her sisters
and teases the satyr,
under the moon and the stars
as she taunts him to chase her.
She allows him to catch her
upon Midsummer’s Eve,
and sings in her innocence
as their souls interweave.
But when morning arrives,
the lovers must part,
for her life is entangled
with the tree’s ancient heart.
And when the great oak sickens,
and draws nearer to death,
the dryad pales also,
and takes her last mortal breath.
Author Bio
Julie Shiel lives in Maryland with two cats. She writes poetry and short stories in the genres of horror, fantasy and erotica. Her poems and stories have appeared in Flesh & Blood, Star*Line, Blood Rose, Science Fiction Poetry Review, Rogue Worlds, Other Dimension, Aoife's Kiss, Bloodfetish, Champagne Shivers, Wicked Hollow and various others.
Visit Julie's web site.
Read another poem by Julie
Diana
- Back to Main page.
- Back to Contents.
- Read The Fairy Swing - a poem.
- Send email to Julie Shiel
Published by permission of the author.