The Last Procession

The Argument

At midnight, the twelfth bell calls Death from beneath the church floor. He does not arrive as a warrior, a demon, a judge, or a savior — but as a gaunt musician carrying a damaged violin. One crooked phrase is enough.

The king hears it in the throne room. The bishop hears it behind the altar. The soldier hears it beneath the noise of battle. The merchant hears it among his coins. The lovers hear it beside a grave. The child hears nothing at all.

Each movement follows one rank or human bond as it is stripped of its title and drawn into the same procession. The pageantry decays track by track, until orchestra, guitars, and voices become one immense line of footsteps beneath a grey dawn.

Death does not conquer the living. It removes the names they used to rank themselves.

Eight movements

The procession, in full

IThe Twelfth Bellwords

Death Rise Death King and beggar Bride and priest Bring your names And leave them here Chant One step for the living One step for the dead Death No crown enters first No child enters last Death When the twelfth bell speaks Every road leads down

IIThe King Leaves His Thronewords

King Who enters without kneeling? Death The one before whom kneeling ends King I named these walls I fed these wars I crowned the law Death And borrowed every hour King Kneel Death Dance Chant Gold above the brow Earth above the name King My blood is royal Death Your blood is warm King My line continues Death Not through this door Death Leave the throne Leave the sword Leave the name Leave the word

IIIThe Bishop and the Bonewords

Bishop I kept the words I kept the flame I opened graves In mercy's name Death Then you know the road Bishop I bear the seal I guard the door Death The door you guard Has no lock anymore Death Lift the gold Lift the cloth Show me what the office covers Chant Bone beneath the blessing Dust beneath the ring Bishop One final prayer Death Walk while praying

IVThe Soldier Without an Enemywords

Soldier Name yourself Draw steel Death You have named me all your life Soldier I broke the gate I held the line I learned the weight Of other lives Death And never learned The weight of time Soldier Where is your body? Where do I strike? Death There is no wound That gives you life Chant No enemy No victory Soldier Then what remains? Death The step

VThe Merchant Counts the Deadwords

Merchant One for the road Two for the gate Three for the priest Who bargains with fate Death Count again Merchant I own the grain I own the ships I own the debt On every lip Death Then purchase one more breath Merchant Name the price Death Everything Chant The ledger closes The fingers remain Merchant Take the house Take the gold Death Already cold Already sold

VIThe Lovers at the Gravewords

First Lover Let the last road Take us as one Second Lover One breath ending Before the dawn Death No hand crosses holding First Lover We shared the room The bread The years Second Lover We learned one name Through separate fears Death Then learn the final difference Chant One step together One step alone First Lover Wait for me Second Lover I cannot hear you Death The grave is not a meeting place

VIIThe Child Who Did Not Dancewords

Mother Not this door Mother He never learned the dance Death No one does Mother Take my years Death They are already yours Mother Take my name Death It cannot cover him Mother Why? Death [ silence ]

VIIIThe Last Processionwords

Death Bring the crown Bring the ring Bring the sword Bring nothing Ritual Voices King and beggar Bride and priest Hand and hunger Blood and feast Death Leave the title Keep the step Layered Voices No crown enters first No child enters last No enemy No victory The ledger closes One step alone Chant One step for the living One step for the dead One line without beginning One road beneath the earth Death Bring your names And leave them here Voices, fading one by one King Bishop Soldier Merchant Lover Child Death Mortal

The procession, in full

Seven who joined the line