Beam and shuttle seem to know 
His inner thoughts, and softly llow 
Backward, forward, to and fro. 
 
Weft thread fast and warp thread slow, 
White thread joy and black thread woe, 
Backward, forward, to and fro. 
 
Things and shadows darker grow; 
Daylight flickers to and fro. 
Backward, forward, to and fro. 
 
Outside the horns of winter blow, 
Journeyman, 'tis time to go I 
Backward, forward, to and fro. 
 
Death .... his hand is cold as snow 
Quench the ashes, keen him low, 
Backward, forward, to and fro.