"Voluspo"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

RökFlöte (2023)

Ek man jötna ár of borna, Þá er forðum mik fædda höfðu
Níu man ek heima, níu íviðjur, Mjötvið mæran fyr mold neðan
Ár var alda, þar er Ýmir byggði, Var-a sandr né sær né svalar unnir
Jörð fannsk æva né upphiminn, Gap var ginnunga, en gras hvergi
I remember yet the giants of Yore who gave me bread in the days gone by
Nine worlds I knew, the nine in the tree, with mighty roots beneath the mould
Of old was the age when Ymir lived, sea nor cool waves nor sand, there were
Earth had not been, nor heaven above, but a yawning gap and grass nowhere



"Ginnungagap"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

RökFlöte (2023)

The first and elemental flesh, both man and woman falls awake
From void and darkness, frost, and flame, from sleeping Ymir, a word to make
The wordless voice, the scream, the howl, pure essence fills new earth and sky
Ancestral form of myth and legend, giants, gods to glorify
Father, mother to them all, the bleak betrayal come to pass
As daughters, sons bad families, are cut from stone to break like glass
I dream of spaces, emptiness, deserts golden, endless dome
Dome of blue with white cloud scudding, folded origami home
Home to all creations, vistas of foreign lands, we conjure ghosts
Of pre-birth state, primal recall, the calm amongst the heavenly hosts



"Allfather"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

RökFlöte (2023)

Allfather, how can we help you? How can we bring you wondrous notions?
Allfather, how do we read you? How do we will you godly emotions?
Eye for a lie and tooth for a truth, hang from the branches, above the well
Nine days pass in the blink of one eye, one eye in heaven, the other in hell
Allfather, learn from the symbols, born in these waters, a gift for the giving
To others who fawn at the feet of the master and bathe in the presence, the dead, and the living
The heavy door closed with a thud, the vast and book-lined hallowed halls
Sucks me in with endless breath, with steady heartbeats to install me
At the gate of all there is and all there was, as best we know
From pen to paper, man to child, the gift of learning's afterglow
Afterglow, Afterglow, Allfather



"The Feathered Consort"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

RökFlöte (2023)

Feathered consort, woven fronds maternal, silken, shining, light the day
With her whispered promises of passion, fertile joining, fashioned clay
Like distant Venus, so seductive, smoothing her scent on boys and men
To make them whole and leave them smiling, thinking of her now and then
They raise her up to sit at heaven's portal, to suckle babes, ripen anew
While second self, the sultry Freya, rides behind her cats, grey and blue
Wicked diva, cool mug-magnet, the sulky, saucy temptress lights
Another lip-stained cigarette and turns her face to show all the whites
Of eyes like torches, piercing, steely, thin, grey smoke, a coiling plume
Paris showgirl, headdress cast, aside in tawdry dressing room



"Hammer On Hammer"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

RökFlöte (2023)

Was there a time when I was Jupiter, ringed like Saturn, with sacred belt?
Anvil sweating under blows, hammer on hammer, cold steel to smelt
Coiled serpent, silently waiting, takes the bait I place beneath
The darkened deeps so far from shore line cut, dagger to sheath
Stage must be set for mortal battle, Volva prophesy fulfilled
At Ragnarök, gory conclusion, drowning world to raise, rebuild
Vlad, the bad, seethes and schemes, an empire past he must renew
Tough man in waiting, stares at me, at White Nights, 1992
Sabres rattle, pipelines tremble, wasted opportunity
To build a better motherland, a nobler place in history
The darkened deeps so far from shore line cut, dagger to sheath
Stage must be set for mortal battle, Volva prophesy fulfilled
At Ragnarök, gory conclusion, drowning world to raise, rebuild
Was there a time when I was Jupiter, ringed like Saturn, with sacred belt?



"Wolf Unchained"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

RökFlöte (2023)

From out the marsh with jaws agape and angry howls, the wolf does run
All set to roam and havoc make, amongst the nine worlds of the sun
But soft as silk, strong fetters fixed to calm, restrain the rage awhile
Invite the hand between sharp teeth to prove good faith, to reconcile
The bond unbroken, trickery, could not prevent the savage bite
And free at last with jaws against, the ground and sky, the final fight
Curled at my feet in sleep, Tervueren, Malinois or Groenendael
A shepherd's friend, unfettered loyalty, sweet devotion natural
Dreaming of a wilder past, a wilder bark, the howl, the growl
Soft limb to tear and bone to grind, the postman corpse to disembowel



"The Perfect One"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

RökFlöte (2023)

He smiles, beguiles and occupies, a perfect placid sacred space
Enthrals all those who gaze, admire and, fascinated, beg his grace
Bold but blessed with calm resists, well armoured, turns aside all harm
Directed at his sweet perfection, bathed in gentle lights to charm
All but one who seizing, opportunity, devises dark
And cunning deed to snuff the candle, put an end to vital spark
Ken and Joe, Joe and Andy, Frank and George, and Joe and Trav
Fatal friends, fatal attraction to a rough Adonis, have
A dark, sad commonality, all hero worship, bit of rough
Frail bond to stretch to breaking point, a point distilled from stronger stuff



"Trickster (And The Mistletoe)"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

RökFlöte (2023)

What is this spear of mistletoe, that flies like dart from brother's hand?
Seemed innocent, a prank misfired, the great shapeshifter, fire-brand
Two-faced fool, the jester bold, grasps at opportunities
To turn his coat, self-satisfy and go wherever he might please
Little giant, skin so thick, can hold the fate of all his kin
With treachery, duplicity, behind the wide, engaging grin
The class clown sits in back of class, throws paper darts, blot paper balls
To bounce off heads of swots like me, provok? a fight when lunch break calls
His tiresom? japes, the prods and pokes, the never-lasting friendships made
Bring only our feigned approval, soon resigned to trusts betrayed



"Cornucopia"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

RökFlöte (2023)

The barley grows and ripened, feeds the hungry souls who toil and sweat
They gather to give thanks and praise, for wealth and peace, repay the debt
I make for them a bounty to reward the pains of honest men
Ask only for their loyal faith, in planting seeds to sprout again
My sister joins the happy throng, to dance and sing with all who care
To lie with her in soft repose, gold diadem in golden hair
Summer sounds of combine wheezing, on the top fields, by the lane
Which winds down rutted tracks to sleepy, barns, the dryer for the grain
Farmer eyes fixed on the headlands, dazzled by the dipping sun
Which lights the corners of her eyes, the farmer's wife, we lie as one



"The Navigators"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

RökFlöte (2023)

Feet fixed firm on windswept headland, far above the raging sea
Lord of all the stormy deeps, the wealth of ages at his knee
Protects and nurtures navigators, raiders bold who loot and plunder
Giving strength to hold at bay, the tallest wave, the savage thunder
Then, to bring them home again, safe to revel in their fame
With tales of valour, harsh and virile, treasures taken in gods' names
Crab pots stacked, fat diesel straining, at the white and foam-flecked wave
Echo sounding, seaman rounding, dark mull skirts a watery grave
Which calls to lure brave navigators, who venture far from harbour home
Burning with that lust of feisty, fisher-folk who live to roam
Feet fixed firm on windswept headland, far above the raging sea
Lord of all the stormy deeps, the wealth of ages at his knee
Protects and nurtures navigators, raiders bold who loot and plunder
Giving strength to hold at bay, the tallest wave, the savage thunder
Then, to bring them home again, safe to revel in their fame
With tales of valour, harsh and virile, treasures taken in gods' names



"Guardian's Watch"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

RökFlöte (2023)

The Guardian stands above the plain, surveys the path to rainbow bridge
Keen-eyed stares t'wards middle world, from high upon that castle ridge
With trumpet drawn to warn of first, approach of those who might intrude
He hears the sound of grass a-growing, senses keen, a quiet étude
Before the giants come to call, the rage of final battle locked
With flaming sword and serpent venom, revelation, Ragnarök
Mae West, helmet, Mk VIII goggles, 'chute at ready on the wing
Young men sprint to action, answer, jarring scramble bell's harsh ring
Gear up, climbing, Merlin roaring, bandits one-five, sounds the cry
Chime of destiny sends aloft, virgin guardians of the sky



"Ithavoll"
music and lyrics by Ian Anderson

RökFlöte (2023)

Sé ek upp koma öðru sinni, Jörð ór ægi iðjagræna
Falla forsar, flýgr örn yfir, Sá er á fjalli fiska veiðir
Finnask Æsir á Iðavelli, Ok um moldþinur máttkan dæma
Ok minnask þar á megindóma, Ok á Fimbultýs fornar rúnar
Þar munu eptir undrsamligar, Gullnar tö ur í grasi nnask, Þærs í árdaga áttar höfðu
Now do I see the Earth anew, rise all green from the waves again
The cataracts fall and the eagle flies and catches fish beneath the cliffs
The gods in Ithavoll meet together, in wondrous beauty once again
Shall golden tables stand mid the grass, which the gods have owned in the days of old