GOAT OF MENDES - Paganborn

A Minuet Of Ghosts

Listen close, oh weary traveller
for an ancient tale I´ll tell
upon the hills a haunted palace stands
where some noblemen still pay
for the grace from which they fell 

In daylight a crumbling ruin
its archways dusty cobwebs span
mouldering tapestries rot in its empty halls
and the wind moans round the barren walls
sings of bitterness to come

As midnight falls in silver moonlight
shadows always dance in the castle-keep
swing and sway in a timeless minuet
watch the centuries pass by
its dwellers are denied of their eternal sleep

From behind the shattered windows
an unseen orchestra plays
as slowly a banquet of spectres
to its eerie music sways

And the centuries pass by
but deliverance never came
so they dance each night
for their lost souls to redeem

Lady moon shines in milk white pallor
through the fallen castles gate
restored to all its former glory
each night until the morning breaks

The clock strikes twelve as moving figures
from nowhere in the ballroom rise
Lords and ladies luminescent
centuries dead, but still alive
from nowhere frail music rises
as the shadows coalesce
they dance a minuet of ghosts
swiftly swaying arabesque
candles flicker, they recreating
a moving image surreal
as an unseen violins moaning
for the dancers in the hall
a company of translucent nobles
amongst their spectral audience
through dead for years, their apparitions
perform a feast, which never ends

They dance a ghostly minuet - pirouettes of shadows
luminescent silhouettes - moving in the darkness
__________

Of Torque And Antlers - The Conquest Of Eireann

The wheel has turned, he is reborn
So let the circle never end
Gives strength to seed and harvest corn
And leads us in our Pagan dance
Let us dance!

Snow has covered the land, whilst the forest is sleeping
Mother Nature resides as haggard crone
Soon comes the time of my renewal
To claim once more the wildwoods throne

By the first rays of light my horn is calling
Beasts and denizens of the wild
My amber eyes open to watch thee
Dance on my glades, sweet Pagan Child

I am the Lord of the Forest
Cernunnos is my name

By the groves, deep in the ancient woods
He builds his oaken throne
Lay down my head in times of winter’s frost
In spring I’ll be reborn

Watch me holding the torque, for it shall bind you
Let the circle never end
Heave in sensual joy, feel the spirit of nature
Across my green and pleasant land

In the blue, endless sky, proudly I raise my antlers
And sound a call of carnal desire
Oh, Maiden of Spring, lay down here before me
And praise me by the Beltane Fire

I am the Lord of the Forest
Cernunnos is my name
I am the Lord of the Forest
The stag roams wild and free

For he’s the One who wears the antlers
He shall reign forevermore
By the gleam of burning embers
Still witches preach the ancient lore

Keep in your heart the ancient fire
Children of nature mind your birth
Release your chains, cast down your idols
Come back from Heaven down to Earth

I am the Lord of the Forest
The stag roams wild and free

I lead the hunt, I pipe the dancers
‘Til the sun begins to wane
By the sign of Torque and Antlers
Paganity will rise again!
__________

Onward To Eireann

The voice of Tuan:
They soared upon the wind above the crimson peaks of Connemara
As witchcraft filled their sails, they travelled on
Towards the hills of Rein, to conquer Eireann from the Fir Bolg’s grasp
Thus spoke mighty Nuada, king of the Tuatha de Danann

Nuada, King of the Tuatha de Danann:
Mighty Sun-God Lug, we hear thy call to battle
May thy gaze of fire bless our blades
We sailed forth from the sun, for in this land we’ll settle
The land of our forefathers, shores of Nemed
Ravenwinged warwitches ride the wind
To bring our enemies death and despair
The strength of our swords and all mystic forces on our side
The powers of Earth and Water, Fire and Air

Marching onward, onward to Eireann
The land which once was ours, proud island clad in green

Towards the vast plains of Magh Nia - HEY!
To Belgatan our warriors march - HEY!

Here we hide within the Black Hill’s shadow
We rest ‘neath the might of mount Belgatan
To test the power of our enemies blades
Awaiting the battles to come
Like the power of an earthquake our warriors stand
Here by the hillsides of Belgatan
Ready and willing to loose the bond
Which binds the spirit to mortal form

The voice of Tuan:
Then finally came the day when the two hostile forces’ champions met
They took the test of strength, a blood-bond was declared
Breas Beautiful and Streng decided that the island might be shared
But both their kings refused and thus they met their fate

Nuada:
The huge plain of Magh Nia shall be the battleground
May our enemies’ heads ride high upon our spears
So march my warriors bold, for we are glorybound
We are the Tuatha de Danann and we know no fears
Beneath the Raven-banners our shining army rides
Feel our thirst to challenge the worm-god’s powers
We’ve got the fearsome magic of the thricefold Badb on our side
So by tomorrow’s nightfall all Eireann will be ours
__________

Night Of Divine Power

Shadows - They gathered high up in the heavens
Whilst in the camp the Fir Bolg sleep
Carnun was woken from his slumber
As were the riders of the Sidhé
Three warcrows filled with utter grimness
Descended from the sky like fiery rain
A triad of awesome divine powers
Morrigan, Macha and Nemain

By the light of the moon
The mists of magic fell
The new and old gods met
For a divine duel

Panic was spreading through the army
The Ringstones glowed in witching green
Above their heads as clouds were boiling
A mighty dragon could be seen
With curdling cries like howling Banshees
The Sidhé began their first assault
And corpses walked amidst the campfires
Decayed and dreadful to behold

The voice of Tuan:
Then Morrigan, with jet-black hair
Appeared before King Eochai:

Morrigan:
"King, now recognize my powers
Fight on and meet demise
Or find your peace
In my embrace!"

The voice of Tuan: 
While his King was seduced and the army lay hidden
Warlock César invoked the powers forbidden:

César’s invocation:
Great entity of aeons without sinews and bones
I humbly bid thy aid amidst the Standing Stones
Thy wisdom formed the Earth and the stars above
So help us in our need, mighty Crom-Cruach!

The arrival of the daemongod: 
Mere mortal, you have disturbed my timeless slumber
To beg my aid in your dismay
But you have made a mindless fumble
To speak aloud my secret name
I will dispel your enemies’ magic
But tomorrow on their souls I want t’be fed 
If that’s denied, it will be tragic
For then, I’ll take thy soul instead!

By the light of the moon
The shadows disappeared
But César in his gloom
Knew that his fate was sealed
__________

Upon The Bloody Fields (Of Cairns)

Streng, Champion of the Fir Bolg:
Now the time of battle has come
With axes and swords we shall smite
The invader’s heads shall litter the field
For our deity and Eireann we fight

The voice of Tuan:
With dragon - hearts inside their breast
The Fir Bolg braved the wave of steel
Effortlessly invaders fought
Against the iron wall of shields
Upon the bloody fields
Of Cairns

Streng:
I will drive them back to the sea
No Tuatha de Danann shall be spared
Except for the one, they call Breas the Fair
For he is the one, whose blood I have shared

Tuan:
But suddenly above the field
A dreadful apparition stands
The Harvester of Souls appeared
To reap, what Crom Cruach demands

The daemon swept the Badb away
But Nuada grabbed the Sun God’s sword
And with a blinding glare of light
He drove it through the fiend’s black heart
Thus Crom was denied of his prize
And so he took the druid instead
Dragged him screaming to Cythraul
And left the Fir Bolg to their fate

Moy Tura!

Streng (recognizes his failure):
All for what we lived and fought
Is lost, like our blood in the sand
What is left ist bow to the conqueror’s gods
And to go back to Earth in the end

The voice of Tuan: 
Dusk fell upon the fields of gore
Victorious stood the Tuatha de Danann
And silence fell upon the shores
Of the green island, Eireann
Upon the bloody fields
Of Cairns