Song of the Longbow
by George D. Stout
To Set afoot on mossy trails in search of creatures wild
To sally forth with bow in hand and heart full like a child
To capture live the wild birds song and whispers of the wind
To leave the maddening world behind and find the man within
To bend the bow and draw the shaft and watch the arrow fly
To see it plunge back to the earth from far and distant sky
To follow steps of those before whose boots were bold and brave
To smell the air as they did then and for their adventures crave
To sit upon a chestnut stump next to the whitetail's trail
To listen for the footfall light or watch the raised flag tail
To ponder our existence here with awe and much delight
To hold our quarry in reverence deep with wonder at his sight
To have the red gods of the hunt come to us time to time
To thank our God for all his gifts of natures boundless rhyme
To recreate in green wood realm and learn all that we can
To teach our young ones how to prize the value of the land
To roam with those of yesterday who carried bows of yew
To bring back stories of our treks and camaraderie renew
To raise a toast to all of those who's bows have sung with glee
To cast a shaft toward antlered deer with spirit wild and free
To loose the string at stump or leaf in sylvan glade so fair
To feel the heft of longbow strong and breathe the mountain air
To dream of times and heroes brave to roam with Robin Hood
Oh what a spell the longbow casts when carried in the wood
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