1. |
Oak King
03:12
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In the dark of night, mid winter halt the sun,
At the still of sun, oak memory has won.
In the cold of morn, mid winter rime deep,
At the edge of dark, now solstice time we reap.
By the oaken tree, we watch the heavens turn,
At the starry sky, all gazes rise and learn.
By the solstice stone, we shiver and we cuss,
At the darkling time, a wheel surrounding us.
Pear tree dance, our yearly chance,
The oaken king extends a branch.
Colder vow, we step and bow,
The longest night around us now.
Solstice dark and silent tree,
Winter breathing fine.
Oaken king will set us free,
Year-long wheel of time.
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2. |
Old Log, New Log
02:55
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On the first of the twelve nights, we shall take a great yule log,
Take it in to our warm house, strike a flame.
For the next ten of twelve nights, we shall watch the red log burn,
Watch it turning into white ash, save a piece.
Old log we keep, to bring fire to new log,
Old log revere, to start the new year.
Old log we burn, to set flame to new log,
Old log release, bring peace for new year.
For the next ten of twelve nights, we shall watch the red log burn,
Watch it turning into white ash, save a piece.
At the end of the twelve nights, we shall take the final piece,
Take it out of the red hearth, douse the flame.
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3. |
Skating
03:45
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Frozen lake, icy shimmer.
Misty dawn, icy glimmer.
Sparking ice, sun is dimmer.
We can skate, and we can slide, and we’ll have fun.
Never wait, and not collide, and races won.
Pluming breath, a happy laugh, a foggy sun.
Glitter rime, in the wood brakes.
Sparkle bright, flutter air flakes.
Dusty sheen, topping white lakes.
We can skate, and we can slide, and we’ll have fun.
Never wait, and not collide, and races won.
Pluming breath, a happy laugh, a foggy sun.
Ice and rime, in winter time; above, around, below.
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4. |
Give A Gift
04:18
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Scented are the spruce and the fir trees,
Fresher is the pine on the breeze.
Give a gift and play through the hours,
Tell a tale, imagine it now.
Winter time, and all is calm.
Winter time, and all is quiet.
Hidden are your gifts wrapped in paper,
Heavy is their lure in your mind.
Under trees so bright decked with baubles,
Greener branches speckled with red.
Winter time, and all is cold.
In the morning wake…
In the morning rise…
In the morning give a gift and get one back in turn.
In the morning wake…
In the morning rise…
In the morning get a gift and give one back in turn.
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5. |
Freeze
03:04
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Colder be, and cloudy, we shall huddle ‘round the fire.
Hands outstretched, somebody, it’s the same across the shire.
Shivered yesterday, shivering tomorrow,
Into hats and scarves and coats we shall burrow.
Frozen be, unwieldy, we’ll be jumping up and down.
Running hard, and rowdy, with a grin, nor ever frown.
Shivered yesterday, shivering tomorrow,
Into socks and boots and gloves we shall burrow.
Freeze my face, my breath; icy windowpane,
Freeze my toes, my hands; frosty in the lane.
Fire to heat and heal; ‘round the festive hearth,
Fire to comfort me; and a steaming bath!
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6. |
Feast!
03:21
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Year ending, let us feast, we know,
The biggest and the best, we go,
The tastiest winter fest, we go,
To eat and to drink, merry be…
A pudding made with fruit and peel,
A sugar loaf tall, we go,
My warming currant bun, we go,
To eat more and drink, merry be…
Celebrate the winter time,
Feasting fun all day and night,
Spirits high and spirits drunk.
Our table, it is laden high,
The ale and bottle full, we try,
The mead and red wine, we try,
To eat and to drink, merry be…
A pie made all with field root fry,
My fork and platter full, we try
My laughter, merry loud, we try,
To eat more and drink, merry be…
Twelve times long the winter time
Feasting fun we celebrate,
Spirits high and spirits drunk.
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7. |
White
02:31
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Bright low sun, cross over the swan white snow.
White slow mist, roll over the frosty glow.
Crunch right through, the snow and then off we go.
Punch a boot, through puddles and icy flow.
Snow is white and swans are white,
Winter pure and bare.
Go tonight to bonfire bright,
Night is pale and fair… fair.
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8. |
Hunting The Boar
03:46
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In the darkling wood, cunning and strong the boar shall be.
Freyr in winter time, tribute to Friday’s deity.
Free among the trees, hard as a shield,
On a roasting spit, waiting for me.
In the deepest wood, hidden alone the boar shall fall.
Spear his iron hide, reckoning Friday’s ritual.
Dead upon the earth, under a tree,
On a wooden plate, steaming for me.
Milkmaid can come, to bring me my mug,
For warming my throat, I’ll give her a hug.
She carries my hope, so Freyr will know,
The feasting is long, the fire aglow.
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9. |
Ladies Dancing
03:35
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Ladies dancing on the frost of winter mornings early.
Stepping forward, turning round in motion hurly-burly.
High step on a balanced toe,
Bend low, bow and backwards go,
Turn round, raise an arm to blue sky,
Curtsey to your beau.
Frost is white… on the dark, hard earth,
Icy light… brings a cold, hard birth.
Frost is white… on the tops of trees,
Icy light… and a soughing breeze.
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10. |
Lord Thor
03:32
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When you see the lords a-leaping,
When you hear the thunder roll.
It’s a sign of chariot flying,
It’s a sign of Thor’s great toll.
Two goats pull, chariot, to places wild.
Snarler-teeth, Grinder-teeth, Thor’s goats beguiled.
In the sky, rolling drums, reverberate.
On the ground, we fall down, locking the gate, dancing too late.
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11. |
Dark Music
04:09
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Wisdom of the old, wisdom of the elder year.
The fullness of our age, fullness of an end that’s near.
In, our minds, the darker path.
All, our hearts, a colder hearth.
Foresight of our age, foresight of the winter time.
The balance of the old, balance of your life’s long rhyme.
In, our hearts, discovery.
All, our minds, maturity.
End, the movement of a life, a word can be a knife, the music of life’s symphony.
Strong, the flood of music heard, a thought can be a word, the poetry of history.
In a forest a piper plays a haunted memory.
For a moment he plays adrift rememb’ring melody.
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12. |
Wheel Of Our Year
04:27
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In a circle, turning round and round, like a wreath upon a door, in a year.
At the start and, at the very end, like a holly wreath, in a year.
On the wheel of the year, we follow circles about.
Drummer taps out a rhyme, to lead life cycles around.
Drummer beat your rhyme, candle darkness, fly away.
Walker tap your rhyme, feet upon life, every day.
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Stephen Palmer Shrewsbury, UK
Stephen Palmer is a musician and author living in Shropshire. He was the man behind the psychedelic band Mooch, and he continues with his world/synth project Blue Lily Commission, who are also on Bandcamp. His solo music covers a wide range of genres, often with a natural/seasonal/weather theme, but also covering electronic styles. ... more
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