winter's gate

the hoar sea enfolds us

the scent of coming winter

hear the howl of the wind

a song from the ocean's womb

far away behind us

black smoke still rises high

houses of the southern god

broken under iron hooves

the time of slaughter moon

sunless

starless ways

sailing to world's end

to meet our crown or doom

the time of slaughter moon

the season of the mist

we're faring in the dark

sinking into cold night

the grim sea enfolds us

the scent of the burning temples

hear the wail of the waves

a song from the hidden deep

far away from homely shores

and winter is on our tail

driven by hunger and greed

swallowed soon by the great worm

and there

amidst the fog

a solemn mountain rises

its pinnacle touching the grey sky

silent spruces guarding the shore

there waits a grinning prize

worthy of legend

there waits a golden wolf

a beast with six legs

and yet i search on

and yet i wait

to find your shadow

amidst the darkest night

still i bear the flowers of pain

still i bear the flowers of solitude

what trick of gods is this?

rewards and riches

here within our reach

yet not within our grasp

and yet i search on

and yet i wait

to find your shadow amidst the darkest night

and yet i search on

and yet i wait

to find a place where no sorrow creeps in

and yet it wrings me

like a strange cold hand

and yet it burns me

like a viper's tongue

better it would be

to lie on a bed of silt

and watch the moon's face

from under the waves

better it would be

to rest on bed of mire

inside the ocean's womb

dreaming of days long gone

sunless

starless

pathless is the way

still i bear the flowers of pain

of solitude

and on the mountain's side

grim-looking gate lies

staring towards the north

waiting in solitude

barring the way inside

the giant doors of stone

not built for mortal men

not made for us to pass

vile trick of ornery gods?

rewards and riches

right here within our reach

not within our grasp

i walk with my head down

wind blows right through my waning heart

weightless

like a bird in my arms

she looks into the bottom of my soul

grave tidings from the northside

grave is the tone of this night

weightsome the dark around us

the weight of time upon us

no one will sing tonight

no one will leave the pyre

dreaming of golden wolf

dreading the winter's might

hear the sound resonate

through your flesh

through the ground

across the skies

cracking roar

a thunder's bark

echoes here

the voice of doom

blackened clouds now seize the welkin

wielding all of winter's ire

and it will rise with a white voiceless face

from the heart of the earth

from under the mountain

the storm wind engulfs us

the whirl of white and grey

the downfall is upon us

the reprisal of wanton gods

here at world's end we will tremble

far beyond the deceitful seas

here we hide now

crawl to shelter

far away from the homely shores

and it will rise with a white voiceless face

from the heart of the earth

from under the mountain

devouring the sun and the earth

forest and sea

devouring us all. stumbling forward in knee-deep snow

the wind is whipping my face in frozen slashes

void of direction. void of hope. i call her name. in the whiteout. there amidst the raging coldness

i catch her figure

the fear of death is staring at me through her eyes

through the wind's howl

a scream now rises

something moves in the whirl of snow

creatures born out of winter's furor

closing in on us

through the cave's mouth

a crack in the stone wall

i'm tearing my way right into the dark

a beast is rending the ground behind me

killing all the light

hear the grinding. of stone against stone. i'm crawling deeper. in the dark. the flame is weak and frail

a circle of shivering men

enclosed by endless coldness

the evernight

eternal dark

the moan of undying winds

now merged with hollow screaming

the fire dies in a single breath

the end has come

out of the darkness

out of the cold

out of the night they have come

cruel is the laughter

cruel is the fate

cruel is the winter's will

merciless is the fray

bitter the final stand

perdition and ruin;

the icy grip now traps them

right here at the world's end

the frost of death will take them all

the lords of the high seas

are smitten down into snow

no way to bear the fury

no way to ward off all the fiends

devouring the sun and earth

devouring the forest and sea

devouring us all

sing a quiet song to me

sing of spring and sing of sea

sing a silent song to me

sing of hope and sing of sleep