Lantern of the Willow

(Intro) [Soft harp, faint wind chimes, gentle acoustic guitar picking] Night falls where the willows weep... (Verse 1) [Acoustic guitar, light bodhrán drum, flute softly in background] In a forest far from name Where no map will stake its claim Lies a path the moonlight kissed Veiled in fog and ancient mist They say a girl once walked alone With a heart carved out of stone But in her hand, a lantern glowed Lit by tales the elders told (Chorus) [Layered Celtic harmonies, rising fiddle, heartbeat drums] Lantern of the willow, guide me through the night Past the thorns and shadows, toward the hidden light If I fall or lose my way, let the stars above me stay Lantern of the willow, don’t let me fade away (Verse 2) [Same arrangement as Verse 1, soft vocal echo effects] She faced the wolves without a sword Spoke to silence, begged no lord Found a song beneath the stone Sung by winds she'd always known They called her lost, they called her wild But she was fate’s forgotten child With every step, the forest grew And whispered truths she never knew (Bridge) [Harp arpeggio, string swell, vocals intimate and close] O lantern burn, through ash and flame The world forgets, but I remain A name no bard would dare to write Still I breathe, still I fight (Chorus) [Chorus returns, richer harmonies, flute dances above melody] Lantern of the willow, guide me through the night Past the thorns and shadows, toward the hidden light If I fall or lose my way, let the stars above me stay Lantern of the willow, don’t let me fade away (Outro) [Stripped back to harp and guitar, fading vocals] So if you find a glowing flame Know she walked there... without name.