A Palisade of Hollow Trees
--vanity of vanities--
2011

(adapted lyrics to music - 2025)

A stone-browed hero poses proud,
Upon his chariot aloud
He shouts the name of God he knows
Will give him legs and arms to throw
His mystic axe at timbers tall,
The ancient refuge for those all
Who pain his mortal heart.

A warrior now, with marble brow.
To tell the tale, how he can't fail.
Like him I stand, upon my land,
His courage mine, for all of time.

Beneath his brow his mirrors shine
In fertile soil and harvest wine,
And bend he now with axe in hand
Among the roots alone he stands,
No wheels, no horse, no whip, no reigns,
A fury flows within his veins
To strike the monster’s heart.

A warrior now, with marble brow.
To tell the tale, how he can't fail.
Like him I stand, upon my land,
His courage mine, for all of time.

A mighty swing and muscles brace
The hardened blade into the base
A hollow echo now betrays
An empty stump of slow decay,
His axe flies free of faithful fist
Tumbles lost amid the mist
Devoured by the forest’s heart.

A warrior now, with worried brow.
To tell the tale, how he may fail.
Like him I stand, upon my land,
His courage mine, but for a time.

A brow shrugged low with hanging head
Empty hands and feet of lead
No vanquished villain hero made
Acrid wine spilled on the clay
A thousand hollow trees remain
To mock the hero’s empty frame
Around his broken heart.

A warrior now, with shameful brow.
To hide the tale, of how he failed.
Like him I stand, upon my land,
His failure mine, for all of time.