~ By Courtesy of Others ~
Call to Loki
Stirrer of strife, mischief-monger,
Father of falsehoods, teller of tales,
Maker of laughter and bringer of change.
Father and mother, god and giant,
Friend and foeman, order and chaos.
By your hand fall the empires of kings;
At your touch the green leaves wither.
The warm and drowsy peace of the mead-hall
Is shattered by the roar of your wrangling,
And men who were content to sit
Rend asunder their safe stillness.
Loki, sly one, bench-mate of Odin,
We call you here as our companion;
Tear us from our certain harvest
And push us forward into spring.
Where content was, now stir longing;
Where peace was, create now strife.
Wane the moon that it may wax--
Kill the sun that it may rise!
Come to us and make us merry --
Loður -- Loptr -- Loki - Come!
© Copyright 1979 Alice Karlsdóttir
Image: "Loki", illustration by Tudor Humphries