I had the worst nightmare of my life last night
awoke with a migraine sweating and white
a painful dreadful evil unsettling dream
where monsters pursued an awful scheme

In a distant country of sun and dust
warped parodied  men followed their lust
hunting down all beasts they see
to gather for meat and  misery

I was trapped in a giant metal machine
a  factory of pain made so obscene
fire would spout and burn the trees
and bring the forest to its knees

all of the creatures ran in fear
as this evil killing thing came near
pipes ****** smaller creatures in
the screaming still I hear within

The horrors that I dreamed run on
I hope they fade and soon are gone
two images I can't forget
forever in my eyes are set

A baby elephant ****** up whole
and screaming in the tube poor soul
its mother trying still to fight
but crushed beneath the iron might

And from the burning bushes ran
a baby warthog fast as it can
but no hope for the poor wee beast
its leg torn off god how it bleeds

Where do dreams like this come from
and why do memories linger on
dark vision of a distant time
our future race's final crime

Scorned by pew browned elders stare
stand calm before their face
they know not of the power you bare
for the  good of all your race
fool's barriers to light and love
is what they want to build
to control the people from above
and have the wise folk killed
women in the huts and crofts
ancient wisdoms ways
scent of healing carried aloft
before persecuters gaze
but life and love still bring them back
their wisdom shall return
for every wise one they attacked
and as a witch they burned

We can write of battles and sing of wars
count the dead and keep the scores
but the tragedies hidden in history
the poor wee stories we rarely see

Mothers mourning absent sons
children cold in front of guns
waiting women for the pain
of knowledge that their men are slain

Women make up half the world
give birth to all like flowers unfurled
but history seems to look past them
and cram our books with such great men

In ancient distant Celtic days
the women wise in every way
would help and march beside the men
to guide and heal and be with them

Christian laws came to make them weak
took away their power to speak
stopped the midwife and nature's nurse
said they were witches with a curse

So men at most are children wild
so rarely fit for life great trials
and as a care worn  specimen
my love  is strained for fellow men

The world does change and we can grow
now women heal and use life's glow
to challenge in a subtle way
all of men's damage done today

Easier to take life than create
and to vilify love and strive to hate
but if we stop and count the score
how many women started a war?

Marred fair in the tower so high
sitting cold and waiting to die
daughters locked way so hard
dragged here from the land of the bard

Your man is fighting in the hills
battling iron with love and will
but his war and love are all for you
spirit strong and spirit true

One day you'll rise and stand beside
and view the woods and mountainside
your children sitting at your feet
your love death never can defeat

Sir Gregory I pledge to serve
my loyal heart it will not swerve
so as I give my vow to you
I promise always to be true

Well, lad I'll take you as my man
we'll go to fight for the Englishman
Berwick north we stand and fight
facing Scotland's rage and might

But tell me first why do you come
to follow Richard's savage drum
A Welshman stong and fair as day
now fights beside some he should slay?

Owain set his mind to tell
his secrets this man would keep well
and as a Welshman of renown
would never cast a fellow down

My heart is full of dreams to roam
before I return to my home
and as this world does change and swing
I dream of Wales set fair to sing

By fighting for the English flag
though in my heart the merest rag
my service and loyalty will save
my people from some English Knave

For powys Fadog is beset
by guile and deceit like a net
to persevere and keep it free
is the task that God has given me

So serve he did the crown indeed
shed blood in lands above the Tweed
his steel was shap his eyes afire
his glance could light a funeral pyre

Thus serving Richard out in France
he led the French a merry dance
bore the shield for Englands King
whilst harpers in his heart did sing

Fitzalan's fleet acknowledged him
he made one hundred Frenchmen swim
defending all the southern ports
all admired him as he fought

Then squire to Henry son of Gaunt
his strength and fire he did not flaunt
at last a knight he travelled west
to the hills and fields he loved the best

But Ruthin Grey was still nearby
a neighbor evil dark and sly
always waiting in the mist
to strike out with his English fist

Now Owain was still Richards man
usurped by Henry's secret plan
but loyalty goes deep in Wales
just read the true and ancient tales

Cronies of the dread new King
conspired to soil his name and wring
out all the misery and lies
to hurt this Welshman they will try

Proclaimed a traitor by the court
their plans were quickly turned to naught
men whose names forgotten since
named fair Owain Wales' Prince

Hotspur rode into the north
striking blows for all his worth
Owain like men of ancient yore
struck  all he faced down to the floor

Castles fell rebellion spread
to Owain's flag a nation led
**** of Strata Florida's shrine
made mad-men of the Welshmen's line

You strike our stones you strike our hearts
but though to you our days seem dark
the blaze you light within our breast
will stand forever any test

The evil Grey they captured him
a ransome paid his dark life grim
faded away and left so weak
no more of Grey this tale will speak

As quick years drew and fleeted by
all Welshmen came they drew anigh
from farms and universities
to battle through adversity

Veterans of Englands savage wars
Welshmen flocked back to settle scores
the blood of Llewellyn still does stain
but Ap Iorwerth's legacy will remain

Back to the laws of Hywel Da
the wise and kind king known afar
so good a man our Hywel was that
He'd punish a man who harmed a cat

Court at Harlech strong and fair
Machynlleth Cynulliad held there
Scots and French men sent their aid
many a fiery fighting raid

But  French kings change their regal minds
and Avignon fooled with their designs
no hope from them was due to come
England's blockades were hitting home

Sat in the darkness of doubt alone
Owain dreams of his wife and home
fair things that he is fighting for
the reasons that he went to war

Now with the sight of ancient days
the future fell before his gaze
his Marred fair locked in the tower
dying slowly his poor bright flower

His castles fell his men were slain
the power of England strong again
a hunted man loose in the wild
though loved and sheltered like a child

Despite rewards of riches vast
his people hid him to the last
he faded slowly into the stones
that make up Wales' strong old bones

He died an old defiant man
clear in eyes and heart
the time was not for a free Wales
a land to stand apart
but freedoms song and fair blood spilled
for causes that you love
still carry on the mountain air
as Owain stands above

Owain ap Grufydd Fychan last of your kind
betrayed by the King that you once stood behind
though you faded at last into mountains and mist
on the slopes of Er Eryri you  stll exist

Sitting outside in righteous cold
no fearful visions to behold
shaking and suffering by my choice
no fear or dread to choke my voice

For all those souls who dwell in fear
I wish that I could hold you near
all the dreadful  uncertainty
please try and send it on to me

What do you see on the shore of the sea
is it faces of those who are gone?
Or just the grey skies and powerful lies
and the terrible deeds that were done

What do you hear on the shore of the sea
memories of injustice and wrongs?
Carried away by the spume and the spray
now just echoes of their final song

I stand at the shore of the grey heaving sea
hearing the words of the past
amongst the cold waves I can see distant graves
of the ones who stayed true to the last