Arrow Song

The land is alight with the sword and the arrow, 
The light, long arrow, the fire of the bow — 
The need-fires blaze upon hill and barrow 
And fire and fuming as sisters go. 
From open sea to the fjord that's narrow, 
The longships dart through the rain of stones — 
A bowman loosens his shining arrow, 
It leaps to its mark — and a woman moans. 

As fire through the forest sweeps the Viking, 
As fire's the flight of his long, light dart: 
As molten fire is the sunlight, striking 
On the golden harness that shields his heart. 
With fire and flaming from breast to barrow, 
From dusk to darkness the Vikings go: 
As Thor's own bolt is the flying arrow, 
The light, long arrow, the fire of the bow.