I was woken last night

From my slumber

By the plaintive cry of pipe music.

The sound rose and fell

weaving itself around the storm

The water crashed

Against the sea wall

Near the field where I lay

This sound must be part

of the local legends

Of magic fairy piping

And children stolen away

or swapped

My mother had always

Joked that I was a changeling

As she gazed at my pointed ears.

Could I be part of

This ancient race?

As I stood at the window

And felt the breath of the mountains

I wondered could I go dancing up to the hills

And find my way into a fairy cave?

Did you hear the terrible storm

Last night

My daughter said

The hail stones were enormous

They were rattling the windows

No, I just heard the sound

Of fairy piping

Oh mum, that was just the wind

Whistling through the decks

Of the boats

I smiled to myself

I knew differently