Howl’s Homecoming:
The sun burnt hot on the heroes five
From a faraway war, in a faraway land, the last of the pack alive
Freya, Grin, Agnon, Genesis, and Howl
Held together by stitches and linen strip
The heroes trudge on, the bandages drip
Freya, Grin, Agnon, Genesis, and Howl
Howl is the worst of them, wounds so deep
He sees the Great Wolf on the road in his sleep
Freya, Grin, Agnon, Genesis, and Howl
The biggest and strongest of the five brave fighters
His friends all now wish he were a little bit lighter
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
For many a mile they carry him, until they can no more
Their strength is failing fast, these remaining four
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
On unsacred ground, the burial rites must Genesis have Spake
For nowhere near, was stream or lake
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
Here is placed the stone
Of Howl, buried alone
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
He deserved a funeral barge, engulfed by holy fire,
But settled for less, than even a funeral pyre
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
The bite of the iron is sharp, as vigil they cannot stand
Runes of shame are self inflicted, with a red hot brand
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
They gnash their teeth and stumble ahead
Their duty failed, their friend is dead
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
To die on the field is much preferred
Than to die on the road where no one heard
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
Now out of water, they struggle on,
The next thing they know, Genesis is almost gone.
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
The three take turns, dragging her
On a litter made, from staves and fur
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
The dust, it blew
The Carrion bird flew,
over
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
And Genesis, in fever spake,
“None should lie alone,
upon that plain of bone.”
“Please leave me here or take me back,
to Howl, a brother of my pack.”
“But never homeward bound.
The Wolf our friend did meet, is surely still around.”
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
Agnon, her Warder, turned around,
And dragged her back towards burial ground
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
All four they turned around, to face their fate as five,
Rather than return, with runes of shame alive
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
Upon return to barrow mound,
The four in shock, without a sound
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
Rocks were scattered all about
And a body, was that grave without!
Freya, Grin, Agnon, and Genesis
When suddenly, across the plain, there came a fearsome Growl,
Standing there as plain as day, the heroic figure of Howl!
Spake He:
“Those runes of shame befit thee, you stupid pieces of shit.
After all our years together, you forgot I have True Grit!”
Freya, Grin, Agnon, Genesis, and Howl