Behind the Wall Gods of my fathers, gods of my forebears, Look down and smile if in war I might fall For I go forth gladly, forward to glory To stand with the Aesir in Valhalla’s great hall! Forward I march, a shout on my lips Odin’s name I call as also to Thor The walls rise before me, the army behind me And I am now stepping into hells great door The breach is not wide, less than two spans But tis wide enough for one shielded man Thus up the ramp will I run in the morning’s bright sun Grasping my courage for I am the van Gods of my fathers, gods of my forebears, Look down and smile if in war I might fall For I go forth gladly, forward to glory To stand with the Aesir in Valhalla’s great hall! Many are the spearmen there who now greet me, Mighty are the thews behind the foes shields But as the blades flash and spears lick like snakes I must press forward, never to yield Great were the battlemen lain out before me Brave were the foe with their fell shining glaives But though I press forward and my ax is raised high I am struck down in less than three staves Gods of my fathers, gods of my forebears, Look down and smile if in war I might fall For I go forth gladly, forward to glory To stand with the Aesir in Valhalla’s great hall! But hard as I fall, I hear from behind a glad noise was the sound of armor’s close rattle For though I have fallen the breach is now taken As I am followed by sisters and brothers of battle Gods of my fathers, gods of my forebears, Look down and smile if in war I might fall For I go forth gladly, forward to glory To stand with the Aesir in Valhalla’s great hall! Feet first into hell I did leap gladly There to fall slain I now see far below My body lies broken, lifeblood has fled For my body is spent and yielded its soul I gave no ground but now I am fled The sound of the valkyries ride to me, singing I hear as if from far off the battle below And erenow the sound of battlecrows winging Gods of my fathers, gods of my forebears, Look down and smile if in war I might fall For I go forth gladly, forward to glory To stand with the Aesir in Valhalla’s great hall! I look down from above on my brothers of battle And my shieldmay sisters who go forth in the din And I feel sadness for my daughter’s fair locks Or my wife’s voice that I will ne’re hear again But I take stout heart as the Norns weave my weird To flee was never held within my ken And if I have died well aught else they should know That in the last battle my thoughts were of them Gods of my fathers, gods of my forebears, Look down and smile if in war I might fall For I go forth gladly, forward to glory To stand with the Aesir in Valhalla’s great hall! So mourn not my passing, for I went forth boldly In battle I can say for my king I gave all My own victory was scant, but my brothers behind me won the day at the breach, there behind the wall! Bran Buchanan
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 11:39:47 +0000
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