The Gods of the Kerlistians
They are strange folk; their gods flow in and out,
from one through one to yet another one,
in and out they flow, bewildering to behold.
They are strange folk; many are their rites
and from birth through wedding unto death they pray
with strange kneelings and bowings,
and much listening to words --
endless words do they love, chanting and reading,
and charming all things in every way by words,
a people who live by words.
They are strange folk; they carry death-magic,
and charm all things that they find with it,
unafraid of the price of charming with death,
and they claim to seek death (but I think they lie),
yet never stop trying to overturn it.
They are strange folk; they worship mothers,
and especially mothers who weep at death,
and they seek supplication from mothers long gone.
They are strange folk; their gods flow in and out.
