Walking by the lake Lighting fires along the shore That the geese that used to winter here Don't need anymore And it's November third And the snow is on the ground And a letter in the mail confirms They've laid a lover down Oh so sad to be loveless Oh so sad to be loveless Oh such a shame to be loveless Oh so strange to be loveless The forest is still Save for the sound of the trembling trees And prayers that have lost their way And their imposters in the breeze A lake for the winter to kill A sun for someone to deny An axe to leave its cold red kiss Where a love has knelt to die Oh so sad to be loveless Oh so sad to be loveless Oh such a shame to be loveless Oh so strange to be loveless Bones glow in the water A legend, a laborer's song Crows have walked this snow, I know Though the wind says that they're gone The bones of spring are buried Beneath the wake of white November's oar A lover spills a tear and watches the circles spread Until they die against the shore Oh so sad to be loveless Oh so sad to be loveless Oh such a shame to be loveless Oh so strange to be loveless