Strike the Drum - A Song for Archers

This is a song for all our brave archers.

Strike the drum for Amber,
Where noble archers dwell
Strike the drum for Bellicose,
And Amethyst, as well!
Strike the drum for every one
who’s ever bent a bow!
Strike the drum for every one
an archer’s stricken low!

Yew it is the strong right arm
Of ev’ry noble Queen.
And flax it is the harpstring
That makes the bow to keen.
Grey goose is the feather that
Doth make the foe to fly.
Ash and Iron the talon that
Doth make the foe to die.

CHORUS

At Bellicose the Lion’s Men
Came charging up the hill.
We killed them as they came
Till the queen had had her fill.
At Amber we taught the beasts
To darken out the sky.
We taught them, but the only thing
They learned was how to die.

CHORUS

In Argent then we faced things
From the mists far out of town.
We beat them fair and square and then
The huntsmen rode them down
At Amethyst we fought in mud
Up to the horses’ knees and
The monsters paid the butcher’s bill
From arrows we released.

CHORUS

Yeoman’s lives are hard as hell
On this we can agree.
It’s not a job for weak of heart
Or weak of arm and knee.
Our enemies may challenge us
With hearts so fierce and low.
But they tremble in their stirrups when
An archer bends her bow.

Strike the drum for Amber,
Where noble archers dwell
Strike the Drum for Bellicose,
And Amethyst, and as well!
Strike for every mother’s child
who’s ever bent a bow!
Strike for every mother’s child
an archer’s stricken low!

(Adapted from an SCA song - Strike the Drum)