[Intro: orchestral swell, distant bells, whispered male baritone, strings]
O source of mysterious deeds from ancient years,
Of lofty strivings, victories and tears.
The crystal waters of the past before us lie;
In them we sank with hearts and dreams gone by.
[Verse 1: piano, cello, restrained baritone]
Stern valour, bright and holy joy,
A lofty deed, love’s sweet employ.
Soft bliss, a moment’s passion’s flame,
The grief of loss, the victorious joy’s acclaim.
[Verse 2: building strings, electric guitar swells, ominous choir]
All before the eyes is closed in what has been,
All is forgotten and appears a dream.
White sand, the bleak and joyless haze,
The silence covering all our days.
A call is heard—the ringing of the bells;
A groan seems near—an unseemly groan that swells.
A vision seems in ghostly light to rise,
A shadow in the dark, a bright hue in scarlet guise.
[Chorus: full rock opera climax, choir, distorted guitar, timpani, organ]
Who is this quiet, weary old man,
Who bows his grey head where he stands?
In tattered rags, his soul bowed low,
He laughs and weeps for what the heart must know.
[Verse 3: softer, folk gusli, bells, mournful baritone]
Tears like drops of cold dew fall,
A smile like an echo of a storm’s call.
A powerless body, hands that hang,
He stands benumbed and hears the sounds’ clang.
He hears the bell, the gusli rings,
A raven on the roof, the leaf-fall sings.
There in the churchyard, a cross falls down,
That stood on the grave of the bride in gown.
[Bridge: spoken word over organ and cello, then rising choir]
A white tale, a grey head,
Quiet joy, and sad words said.
His path exhausted, life behind,
Tears through the laughter of the unknown kind,
Go on.
[Verse 4: driving progressive rock, urgent vocals, orchestra hits]
A whirlwind begins with a light breath;
Happiness is replaced by pain and suffering.
His heart holds the past and the future together;
All is behind, ahead is nothing.
[Chorus: maximum power, full choir, guitar solo, bells, gusli]
A vision seems in ghostly light to rise,
A shadow in the dark, a bright hue in scarlet guise.
In tattered rags, his soul bowed low,
He laughs and weeps for what the heart must know,
His grey head powerless bowed.
Who is this quiet, departed old man?
[Outro: fading orchestra, lone piano, distant bells]
All before the eyes is hidden in the past,
All is forgotten and seems a dream at last.
[Fade out: choir hum, wind, soft gusli]
