The Dnieper Rapids
Mathias Nygård
A terrible noise heard from far away
Drowning all other sounds
No cry of the birds nor voice of men
Just an awful groan
Silence fell over the men
As the river seemed to end
Then...
Clouds of spray, Pechenegs prey
The Insatiable One is hungry today
Avoid the rocks for all you're worth
Whirlpools gaze from the depths of earth
Like dominoes six locks will fall
One after another
The World Serpent will rise from the silt
And poison the sky
Clouds of spray, Pechenegs pray
The Insatiable One is hungry today
The violent current swept Karl away
One mistake- with your life you pay
Silence fell over the men
As the river seemed to...
A sight they had dreamed of
Now opened in front of them
Fraught with danger and travail
The river came to an end