Winter:

A tear of longing left my eye

And froze halfway down my cheek

Numbness hailed down from the sky

Forcing colour to recede

 

Into the grey void I wailed

And after all the birds had flown

A deafening silence unveiled

Even the sun left me alone

 

My lips, trembling with solitude

Yearning for someone to hold

Like trees, open armed, fully nude

Quivering out in the cold

 

The broken down voice I lost

Unable to make silence withdraw

Like the cracks in thickening frost

Do not foreshadow coming thaw

 

 

 

Spring:

Footsteps outside on the pavement

Snow cracking under the gentle tread

The rustling of the world, no longer silent

But futile hope can’t raise me from my bed

 

I heard someone tapping on my window

A red-breasted bird looked at me

I lifted my head up from my pillow

And then I sat up for him to see

 

 

We had eye contact but didn’t speak

The feathered thing was but a timid friend

The olive branch that was in his beak

He laid in the palm of my hand

 

We sang a song without words together

Before he stretched his wings and soared the sky

Restrained by the cold of my frozen feathers

I ran, following him outside

 

 

I was blinded by the overwhelming light

Reflected by a blanket of snow

A familiar warmth caressed my hide

The sun returned, tried to console

 

He was greatly affected by my fate

For he had experienced similar grief

To resolve his amber tears, it was too late

But he could still bring me relief

 

 

Together we uncovered the earth

Exposed her skin to redeeming air

She was fertile to give a floral birth

To all the seeds that she could bear

 

The crocuses quickly started growing

The daffodils expectantly taking root

Magnolia buds, eager to open

When we found you under the forbidden fruit

 

 

 

Summer:

Colour returned to your pale skin

A subtle blush conquered your cheeks

It blossomed down from your chin

Covered you up to your feet

 

A butterfly landed upon my leg

Soothed my red sunburned thighs

She looked at me, her wings outstretched

But for her we had no eyes 

 

The sun, always watching our backs

Blessed our crowns with paralysing rays

Nothing’s on our mind but love

 

 

The heat on your head set out to baptise

Your briny hair it was dripping from

Reminiscent of melting ice

My fears flowed into oblivion

 

Pearls of sweat trickling from your eyes

But I was blind for your repent

I never thought to realise

Our sultry summer knows an end

 

The heat, forcing us to relax

Engulfed us in his slackening embrace

We’ve got nothing to do but love

 

 

The constant humming of the AC

A high pitched ringing in our ears

Like the buzzing of a swarm of bees

Rendering us unable to hear

 

The high words never passed your lips

But your extinguishing eyes explained

Your untold fear and grief eclipsed

And told me of what you were afraid

 

 

The sky turns dark all around

A sword’s dangling above our heads

Like lightning shattering the clouds

It is hanging on by a single thread

 

Inevitable transience is on our heels

When I found you, your lips were red // When you found me, my lips were red

Showing me you’ll have to leave

Because you ate of the pomegranate

 

 

 

Autumn:

Leaves started to turn to pretty colours

Embellishing the trees with golden dye

Concealing all the inevitable dolour

Then the wind took them and they waved goodbye

 

It brought them to a place near the water

Where the leaves formed a blanket on the ground

They warmed the soil as they slowly mouldered

When they were gone, the night frost came around

 

While the leaves gently turned to waste

From my arms you softly slipped away

Your colours and warmth started to fade

 

 

On your last day you picked poppies by the river

They filled our house with warmth and delight

But their joyfulness and colours slowly withered

Their leaves crumbled to sand over night

 

Sleeping petals of your favourite flower

That had given off a sweet and subtle scent

The aftertaste, both bitter and sour

To remind me of the unnamed day you went

 

While your flowers gently turned to waste

From my arms you softly slipped away

Your odours and scent started to fade

 

 

The sun was your departure’s crown witness

He didn’t even try to intervene

He hid, out of shame, behind a nimbus

Before he silently, set into the sea

 

He set fire to the sky above us

Made a fool of me, while he stroked my cheek

Then he left us all blind in his twilight darkness

As he turned his back on my lonely weep

 

While my tears gently turned to waste

From my arms you softly slipped away

Your lightfulness started to fade

 

 

 

 

Credits:

Finya Verhoef                 - vocals & mixing

Madelief Lammers              - violin

Mees van Driel van Wageningen - vocals

Tim van Schie                 - guitar

Mees van der Smagt            - vocals, piano,

                                bass guitar,

                                double bass,

                                drum programming,

                                composition,

                                lyrics,

                                arrangment,

                                mixing, mastering,

                                production,

                                animation &

                                software

                                development

 

Special thanks to:

Esmée Olthuis

Lidy Six

Magda de Groot

Maya Willemse

Irene Becx

Igor Herder

Stijn van der Smagt