1. STRATIFICATION

(Instrumental)


2. SLEIGH RIDE

Wind chill beckons
Winter's secret tale
Of the night summer died.

Winter begins disturbed
The golden trestles
Of winter's virgin bride.

Icy winds rang
The sleigh bells
On the white sleigh ride.

The nine maids,
On their white ride,
Trapped winter's bride.

Bare ankles were fettered
And legs were spread wide
So that winter could come inside.

Icy winds rang
The sleigh bells
On the white sleigh ride.

Snow queen
Ride free again
On your white sleigh ride.

The story is always the same;
Winter's secret tale
Of the night summer died.

Icy winds rang
The sleigh bells
Of the white sleigh ride.


3. WHITE WINTER WANDERER

White winter wanderer,
White winter,
White winter,
White winter wanderer.

White winter;
The cold night is my priest
And the frigid mist
Is my sacred law.

Snow covered land;
The white coulee is my refuge
And the lonely icicle
Is my church steeple.

Strange auld elm;
The tree is my tower
And the screech owl's nest
Is my sanctuary.

Wind scared kingdom;
The frozen prairie is my fortress
And the driven snow
Is my legion.

Unforgiving bitter winter;
The icy wind is my will
And the frostbitten result
Is my fiery onslaught.


4. FROST CRYSTAL SYMMETRY

The fields are flickering
Under the frozen night,
The colours are black, grey and white,
Moonlight is beaming,
The ground is gleaming.

Across the prairie I roam
To find the magical shimmer tree
And attain wintry dignity;
There is one tree all alone
Where the good folk call home.

It stands in the meadow,
The good folk's abode,
Beyond the ninth road,
Where the good folk stow,
There is where I shall go.

Snow covers the coulee,
In this winter realm
Alone stands the auld elm;
Magical shimmer tree
In crystal symmetry.


5. NINE PATHS

Nine paths
Lead to nine creeks
The beyond the ninth stream
Dwells screech owl's dream,
Namely, magical shimmer tree;
Skeleton of the northern prairie,
Cold wind speaks.

nine creeks
With crystal ceilings,
Their surface are static
But beneath the waters are frantic,
Just like screech owl's call;
Shrill sound of white Heimdall,
The nine maids are winter beings.

Nine proceedings
Ignite nine lamps,
Strange fire provides illumination;
Fiery pillars of stratification,
Light the solitary journeys
Through the ice winds and flurries,
To the nine creeks.


6. NINE CREEKS

The nine creeks
Are watched by
A fair water spirit,
And some old hags have said
That in winter some can hear it;
Her strange voice.

It has been written:
"That all water spirits
And elves grew taller
When night was falling."
Winter makes her holler,
In winter night falls fastest.

The nine creeks
Are covered with
Crystal from the water faerie,
Her shadow casts storms,
Skeleton of the northern prairie;
Fair water spirit.


7. WINTERTIME

(Instrumental)


8. THE FROZEN FIELD

Pensive lonely prairie,
Frozen place of awakening,
Winter's icy whisper
Is a screeching cry.

Harsh authoritarian domain,
Realm of ice mist dominatrix,
Cold winds reap her will
'Till spring is nigh.

Snow covered plain,
White field of contemplation,
In summer she shall turn golden
With rape seed or rye.


9. AULD TREE

Strange auld elm
Your branches
Are like hag's
Boney fingers.

Your branches
Frozen through
Are cold and harsh
Like hag's dry hands.

Frozen through
Your branches
Stretch upward;
Morbidly they strive.

Winter nights
Make your branches gleam;
Your branches shimmer
In crystal symmetry.

Strange auld elm
Your branches
Frozen through
Winter nights.