Lance In The Ice

By Baltic's frozen waves they fought
Each step a struggle, dearly bought
Clad in furs, with hearts of fire
Driven by an ancient ire

Their gods were carved in stone and tree
Spirits wild, fierce, and free
To these, the blood was promised red,
For strength in battle and the dead

The pagans marched with savage pride
Through ice and storm, they did not hide
Their axes raised to meet the foe
Where winter's breath made rivers slow

For in the night, their fires burned,
And to the West their anger turned
Frozen gods, with hunger great
Awaited tribute sealed by fate

But far from desert, far from sand
Came knights who rode with iron hand
Of Hungary’s windswept plains they came
To earn their steel in winter's flame

No Saracen nor desert sun
Could delay  knights war had spun  
 Christendom’s call to heathen’s shore
They sought to end the pagan war

Through forest dark and frozen glade
The knights took arms, their swords arrayed
Their armor gleamed, a fearsome sight
Against the snow, pure steel and might

But little did they know the snare
The pagan hordes in freezing air
Pulled them down from mighty steeds
Hands that grasped like twisted reeds

Yet steel would prove its worth again
For though they fell, they rose as men  
Of iron heart, of blood unbowed
And soon the pagan roar grew loud

Fur-clad warriors, proud no more
Felt the bite of knightly war
Of gods, songs, and ancient breath  
Met with  knights of death

And as the snow turned crimson bright
The West stood tall in winter’s fight
Their armor, strong, their spirits true
The fur-clad ranks were pierced through

For on that field the Baltic roared
Knights draw righteous sword
 North winds howled with wrath
Imperial blades cut their path