Outside the snow is growing Flake falls on flake in this cold field For years it's born no yield And worn the winter as its shield And it is vast Ten-thousand yards, or so it seems But it ends at the trees The white is bordered by the green There at its heart There sits a single speck of grey A house worn down by age Let us now see what it contains Within its walls A room's alit by lantern light Though it is wrapped In mem'ries night A man sits at its center His body taught and sallow skinned His soul expression grim His heart is weighed down by his sins Oh what he's lost Oh what he once held in his hands Now only mem'ries stand Though they belong to far off lands There in the flames some shadows play They never shrink, nor fade away They merely dance before his eyes And sing a song of fonder times Oh how he wishes for his strength The will to move, the will to break Away from thoughts that bury him And so swell up in'ternal din Oh won't you say, won't you say what you want from me He calls at the walls yet they answer the same He chokes on his din, at the thought of his skin And he begs let me out, let me out, let me out He claws at his skin as he beats at the walls, As they beat at the walls, at the walls of his skull He howls at the house, at the window, the flame Wishing just once for something to change Silence sets in, morning begins Although it's cold here now It is himself he must forgive If from this house he lists to limp And as he looks now at the clouds He somehow knows the time is now And so the sun casts down its rays And slowly winter at last wanes He quickly stands, walks to the door, And opens it with feeble force He takes the first fresh step Upon the coat, that winter's left He feels a pull, albeit dull As the forest to him calls Come here, it's calm here I am cold Wanting, needing, the clouds to part For some star to guide my way It holds me back, I'm trying Can't you see I'm dying To feel this, once As I glance now o'er my shoulder I see that house doth smoulder I turn my eyes back to the pines And wonder at what paths they hide There, somewhere I am lost Hoping, begging For things to change For my scars to fade at last It keeps me down although I'm trying Just to try instead of lying Withered in a wretched pose My face a lit by n'ember's glow I'll live as if I've never lived I'll try as though I never have To feel it, once I know myself I must forgive If e'er my live I wish to live I'll find my shelter in the trees And leave behind foul memories I'll cast away the winter's shroud Which now casts down shadows of clouds The forest calls this heart of mine As I draw near the portal pine He enters