Rowan on the Stone

[Verse 1] They took her name at dusk From the blackthorn gate Cold hands in a circle And a carved stone plate She wore a linen dress With flowers on the hem The forest held its breath When they brought her in [Pre-Chorus] Rowan in her hair Pitch on her skin Every old mouth saying Let the offering begin She looked at the flame Then straight through the men Like she knew the ending Before it began [Chorus] Take her up, take her slow Under the yew tree, let it go Take her up, take her slow Rowan on the stone Take her up, take her high Let the white smoke touch the sky Take her up, take her slow Rowan on the stone (rowan on the stone) [Verse 2] Drums in the fog And the wick burned low A crown of nettles At the altar's glow She didn't beg once Didn't turn to run Just watched the dark Where the fire would come [Pre-Chorus] Rowan in her hair Pitch on her skin Every old mouth saying Let the offering begin She closed both eyes As the chant went out And the crow on the branch Released a shout [Chorus] Take her up, take her slow Under the yew tree, let it go Take her up, take her slow Rowan on the stone Take her up, take her high Let the white smoke touch the sky Take her up, take her slow Rowan on the stone (rowan on the stone) [Bridge] The oldest oak, it groaned Its roots began to shake A tremor in the ground As they started to partake The wind picked up a sound A whisper from the deep "She's not the one you sought, A promise you must keep." [Final Chorus] Take her up, take her slow Under the yew tree, let it go Take her up, take her slow Rowan on the stone Take her up, take her high Let the white smoke touch the sky Take her up, take her slow Rowan on the stone (rowan on the stone)