The hallowed halls,
Bare in blight;
Torch's light flickers over the masonry,
Bringing to mind from the dark pulsing waters of forgetfulness,
The echo of laughter and joy,
Of tall steel gartered men telling tales of yore,
Over tins of ale;
As children, dirty and barefoot, made merry in the evening;
Before the dark, before the starless night and the winds of flame,
Did pour out upon the bejeweled mead halls, silencing revelry forever,
To the gods, the stars, the sun, moon and fresh earth they did pray,
But those stars,
Those cold heavenly diamonds mocked the silence and sorrow below their blazing crystal glory,
Lost in the blackened void forevermore.