Of Winter born...

I was merely seven that day,
when father had passed away,
alone and lifeless lay he
mirroring the stoic surroundings
of a land strangled by the cold winter

It would be hours before
the four shoulders rise glum
to take their brother upon them
for his time hath come

It was left to me to weild axe
as father had taught
and keep my mother and sisters warm
till mourners arrived to soothe the trouble fraught

Dark and foreboding stood the woods,
black as the Death whom I now know,
cold and stifling life,
covered by the heartless snow

It called to me, did the forest, and warned me to stay clear
its branches reaching skywards to trap the Moon
its mountains spreading coal blindness for miles
its hooting owl and laughing hyena rejoicing at my fear

Those thirty steps beat faster my heart
shuddered my breath and shivered my hand
yet still I walked into the winter's lair
and chopped till it was firewood, till a boy became a man

I turned once when out and stared back in
and the dark woods stared back,
with fear shaking its branches thin,
an act of defiance that the World could see
now caused winter to be afraid of me

Some said, a boy for whom the dark brought tears
for once stood up to face his fears,
yet all I would say is, Not fear but destiny rather,
it made me face winter, for one must avenge his father