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Lokasenna
Re-written
Loki stopped in his tracks
As Eldir followed close behind
At Aegir's hall, looks back
"I ask, Eldir, if you don't mind,
What do you think that they,
The Aesir, drinking in that Hall,
Of me, would dare to say?
That is, if anything at all..."
Eldir smiled, eyes were cold,
"They speak of their great victory,
Arms strong and weapons bold.
Each tells their story.
Would I were there, not here,
A snake, you are, to the Aesir.
Your name, they'd not now hear,
face, see, nor drink will they, you, share."
A glare touched Loki's eyes.
"How dare they treat me as a bane.
I, Loki, do surmise,
That my wrath is due in that Fane.
I will sit that Sumble,
And mix my venom with their mead.
Act the drunkard, stumble,
But my words, this night, they will heed."
A laugh burst from Eldir
"Heed THIS! Step there in spite and they,
Every of the Aesir,
Will stop all that you have to say.
Like the vile snake you are,
They'll have your head, and flay your hide.
But please! We're still not far.
Walk back with me, I'll be your guide!"
"Listen you stupid wretch,
Still your tongue. You know well as I
Your words will naught but fetch
Recourse to bring tears to your eyes."
Loki's hands, firm on Aegir's door,
He opened wide the Halls,
To silence, shock, the Gods enthralled.
"Aesir, Vanir and Elves,
I stand before you humble,
I have traversed the delves.
Allow me to drink this sumble!"
Silence, still, Loki met.
"Tongue-locked Gods, what think you of me?
Let me, my lips to whet,
And choose for me a seat with thee!"
Bragi, it was, who spoke
Venomous voice to Loki's ears.
"Never, you foolish joke,
Will the Gods choose place for you here!
Better do we know than
Allow a Ghast, a Wretched Wight
Into our sacred den!
Too grand, this feast, for you tonight!"
Loki let his gaze fall
On Great One-Eye as he stated,
"Odin, greatest of All,
A fact that can't be debated!
Our blood mixed in the ground!
You swore you and I were brothers,
And you'd not drink a round
Lest I were amongst the others!"
Odin sighed and gestured,
"Vithar, rise and fill his horn,
Let the Jottun forward.
Oath for Oath, this oath has been sworn.
I'd rather Loki here,
Watched close under my one good eye,
Under point of my spear,
For the daggers his words bely!"
And Vithar filled the cup,
As Loki stepped forward and smiled.
"Aesir, and Asynjur,
Hail you, your strength, boldness and guile!
Hail you who are Holy!
All, save for the Coward, Bragi,
Who was more han jolly,
To sit the bench, lackluster, he!"
"All I own I'll give to thee,
Sword, horse, wealth, arm ring and fields,"
Stifling anger, said Bragi,
"If your foolishness you yield!
Loki, stay your daggers
You want not the Gods turned on thee!
You've a drunken swagger,
Sit, you, and silent, pray you be."
"Alwas lacking you'll be,
Bragi, in wealth, horse and Arm Ring!
Of all here presently,
You are, in skill, the most Wanting.
More arrows lost to air,
And blade dulled and blunted for shields.
You did not a thing there,
Unlike the other Gods' guilds!"
"Know, Loki, as I know,
That were we now outside this hall,
I'd make your green blood flow
And mount your head upon my wall!"
Bragi said, enraged.
"But, honor for my fellow Gods,
Makes me, this threat, delay.
I'll deal not with tracherous frauds!"
"Quick with words while you sit;
You're a pretty decoration.
But, fighting words don't fit
For one who would not take action!
Unless you'd give me proof?
Come, Bragi, cross blades with me,
And fall under my Hoof.
You'll just show yourself womanly!"
At this, Idunn stepped forth
"I beg thought of our family.
Let his drink run it's course.
Hold your sons' lives above he."
At Loki, Idunn glared.
"He wishes only rise of you
While by ale he's impaired.
To this, Aegir's Hospice, be true."
"Idunn, whore, shut your mouth,
And do so with your legs alike!"
Loki turned on her now,
"Your husband dead nary a night,
What did you do, Idunn?
You laid with your brother's slayer!"
Loki questioned all, then,
"Would any other here lay her?"
"I quell my Husband now,
As he's taken to drink all night.
Not a thing calls for how,
You come here seeking but to fight!"
Idunn spoke, quiet, calmly,
"I'll battle you, not, out of rage.
Aegir's hall surrounds me,
And Ale marks you less than your age."
Finally, Gefjon stood.
"Aesir fighting Aesir for this?
Loki does as he would.
He loathes the gods, so, hate, dismiss.
He jokes whether or not
His jokes do harm or they prove fit!
As Gods, we've strength of thought
To ignore him, his lacking wit!"
"Gefjon, you're worse than she"
Loki points to Idunn and speaks.
"Took a boy, a baby,
And for his ring you filled his sheets!
You laid content with him
As if he were already grown,
So don't you dare begin
To speak of man, like man you've known!"
Now, Odin gave a laugh.
"Loki, fool, sit you quiet there!
Gefjon does knowledge have
Closer to mine than all else here!
Would you seek her anger?
You tinker with things above you.
Let your Ale take anchor,
It's all we can expect of you."
"I'm the fool when Odin,
Mighty decider of man's fate
Gives victor to small men,
Instead of those who're truly great!"
To Odin, Loki stepped.
"But you wish your army to grow,
So the great you have left
True strength, your 'Chosen' will not know!"
"Well, as that may be so,
They gave me that choice to make.
Lesser, they may be, though
Manly lives those men chose to take.
You, however, Loki,
Bore Stallion's children as his Mare.
Your judgement, true, may be,
But alike to woman you fare!"
"But you, Seidh magic wrought,
And changed your form to a Vitki,"
Loki smiled at the thought,
"That night, Sam's Isle's men were lucky!
Yet you dare say that I
Am comparable to women!
I have to wonder why,
You keep that story hidden?"
Frigg interjected here,
"All men have secrets they will keep.
Loki, then, you were near.
You both should let such stories sleep,
Your pasts are solely yours,
And none here care of Olden times.
We're behind Aegir's doors
And our present victory shines."
Loki spat his retort
"As whores speak whores, you are the more,
For in your grand comfort,
You laid with Vili and Ve, their Whore.
And alas, where you not,
Already wed with Vithri then?
To cover the past, good thought.
You're nothing but a lusting hen!"
"Had I sons like Baldur,
Held here within great Aegir's hall,
They would prove the bolder,
And show they had the wherewithal
To deal you, your justice.
They'd have your head and toast your blood,
Dead in your halls of ice,
Aye, if I had such, my sons would."
"Would you have more of me?"
Loki laughed aloud, scanning her.
"My twisted staves on thee?
Should I tell more of what you were?
I had not planned for you
To follow swift in Baldur's trail...
If that's your wish, it's due-"
Here cuts Freya, Loki, to tell
"Loki, you are insane.
Stop this foolishness, if you will.
Though she'll not say the same,
The orlog of men she knows well.
You've come bringing hatred
And wishing rise of all of us.
Step down and be sated,
Patience for you, we have surplus."
"The sluts speak bold tonight!
Dear Freya I know all your flaws.
Let it be brought to light,
Each here has had you on your paws.
You let men have their way
Without even hesitating.
If I asked you today
I would have you without waiting!"
"You slithering serpent,
This hall is tainted with your lies!
Leaving here you'll lament"
To calm her rage, here Freya tries,
"Aye, but that's right, you snake
You weave for yourself misfortune!
We, the Gods, your life take,
Bet the fates will tell this Fortune!"
"Please, you wanton ice-queen!
You are as innocent as I."
Here, Loki spoke, smiling.
"Do you, Freyr, remember, as I,
When you had your sister?
As Regin found you taking part,
Lovingly you kissed her,
And out of shock she loosed a Fart?"
Njorth, annoyed, began here
"Husband and lover, one to have,
Is not what's wrong, I fear.
But for a Man to bear a calf,
That is preposterous...
And tell me, do I speak untrue,
Loki, so boisterous,
That nearly five are bourn of you?"
"Yes! Rise, you, slave and speak!
As hostage you have graced these lands.
Maidens piss for your drink!
You're a tool to Hymir's demands!"
Here, again, Loki laughed
"You live here as but a toilet,
Is that a noble path?
But, if you wish, I will let-"
And here, Njorth cut him off;
"A hostage, yes. But long ago.
Now I've a son all love,
And as the best of Gods is known.
So, shut your prattling trap-
As nothing you speak is welcome-
Or meet with your mishap.
Or, bear for me another son!"
All the Gods laughed at this,
But Loki stood all the bolder.
"I've kept this, as your wish,
The need's gone to be it's holder.
But, that son you speak of,
You begat him by your sister.
You hold him high above,
But should think him more a blister!"
Tyr spoke then, to honor
The God Loki dared besmatter.
"Frey alone is worth more
Than all your kin, for the matter.
Of all the riders here
It is he that proves the boldest,
Women, him, needn't fear,
He brings them joy, youngest, oldest."
"Tyr. Who cannot end fights,
Be they of words or of the sword!
Talk now, like you've the right...
Fenris had your hand, I've heard!"
Loki chuckled at this
"Tyr, shut your mouth as you've no right-
Hand, or birthright, that is-
To open it to me this night!"
"Aye, true, I've lost my hand.
Better for THAT than Hrothvitnir,
That Wolf, lost to our land.
Bound in fetters we'll keep him near.
My hand, he may now have,
But you no longer have that beast.
I bet on Odin's staff
In Ragnarok he'll do the least!"
To Tyr, Loki Inquired,
"Did you know your wife laid with me,
And a son I acquired?
None better she's had, so said she.
And I believe that you
Have not taken retribution!
Spittle is all you spew,
Insulted with no conclusion!"
"As the Wolf is fettered,
So fettered also will you be.
We gods prove the better,
Insulting us so blatantly"
These words were spok by Frey,
"Tied, you'll be, till Regin falls,
Your carcass hid away.
You brandish naught but word and gall!"
"Trading your sword for gold,
And that gold for Gymir's daughters,
No defenses you now hold,
When Muspell fights, you'll be slaughtered!
Noble Frey, you're a fool!"
Loki turned then, ignoring Frey,
Byggvir there, countenance cool,
Forced Loki in that place, to stay.
"Loki" said Byggvir then,
"Where I of such stature as he,"
To Frey he gestured then
"I'd clean these halls spotless with thee.
Your bones, jelly, would be.
You'd be nothing more than a mat,
Laid upon your belly,
Your innards boiling in a vat."
"This speck upon my sight!
What does this Dwarf think himself to be?
You wish to pick a fight?
I would only need to kick thee!"
Loki sneered at Byggvir
"Better suited to your Haunch,
You're not but a dog here.
Wipe your lip, your slobbering, staunch!"
"I, Byggvir, of the Gods,
Am known to be the Fastest.
Together with the Gods,
I'll put your harsh words past us.
I am triumphant here,
I'll toast this ale with the others,
For whether far or near,
These are my sisters and brothers."
"Triumphant? Such a whelp!
You're but a speck on hist'ry's page.
You offered little help!
Little seen where you, when war waged."
He pushed Byggvir aside.
"You'll run the Gods' names to the ground!
Such children should go hide,
When adults are gathered around!"
Heimdall spoke this time,
"Peace be with you, to all my kin!
Ale does Loki unkind.
His drink's completely done him in.
Reasoning with him now
Is but the venture of the fool.
As we all here know how,
One's mind, one's drink can over-rule."
"Heimdall, you, the cursed one,
You'll have to weave a wretched wyrd.
Eyes forever open
Ears listening to all to be heard
Heimdall with your back wet,
Will you stand tall in Ragnarok
When rest, you cannot get?
Or will you fall, for me to mock?"
Heimdall declined response,
But Skathi stood and spoke her mind.
"You seem to be ensconced.
You're happy now, but soon you'll find
That wretched tail of yours-
Gleefully it continues to wag-
Broken outside these doors,
While your head, and it, in shame drag."
Skathi continued here,
Giving Loki no time to speak,
"Loki, pray you, know fear.
You'll be beaten, bound and weak,
Braced against a cold blade,
Fettered with the guts of your son
In his blood you'll wade
Once you've finished here with your fun."
Loki scoffed at Skathi
"Bound such I may be, but recall,
When we seized Thiazi,
At that slaughter, I was 'fore all!
I laid waste to your kin,
Before you were accepted here,
I'm sure that I would win
Were a battle between us near."
"Yes, you were foremost.
But, first, last, or in between,
You have no cause to boast.
You'll received not a damnéd thing,
From neither hall nor field
In the land that I now call home.
Nothing there will you yield,
Even the mangy mongrel's bone!"
"Skathi, you know me well.
I care not for your lands.
I can, however tell
That you were warm, held in my hands,
When you took me to bed.
You praised, then, highly, Lauffey's son!"
With a laugh, Loki said,
Then he turned to the final one.
"Loki, take thee this mead,"
Sif said, before he could utter.
"Leave me without a deed,
That smears my name in the gutter.
I've not sinned against you."
With this, Sif poured Loki a glass.
"Lauffey-Son, I hail you!"
She handed it him, then walked past.
"You would beg my silence,
And gladly you would receive it."
Here Loki gave a glance.
"However I won't sit quiet.
On your body, one has supped
And changed quite well to 'Whore' your name."
Here, Loki drained his cup
"Hateful Loki, one and the same."
The Aesir all were shocked
"Cold shudders run through Yggdrassil!
For Loki you have mocked
Too far! Too far you know it well!"
Beyla said this, afraid,
"Here! Hlorritha stands at out door!"
And as those words she said,
Thundering in, came mighty Thor!
"Whether Hlorritha stands
Before me or outside that door,
You Gods have tainted hands
Let it be known forevermore!"
Loki would continue
Had Thor not thrown him to the ground.
"Loki, the sum of you
Is but a wretched, worthless hound!
"Quell thy words, or I swear,
Your vile blood be drained this night,
For your words I've no care,
For yout treachery, Mjollnir's Might!
I'll crush your throat, you Ghast,
Mjollnir will be the end of you
If words you dare to gasp.
When my hammer flies, it strikes true!"
Loki stood, and he spoke.
"Dear Thor, why so fast to anger?
I'd say, of me, take note;
So fast to rise, you'll find danger
When fighting with Fenris
And he swallows Great Odin whole.
Soon, you'll prove me this
As Fates stated and we all know!"
"Quell thy words or I swear
Your vile blood be drained this night,
For your words I've no care,
For your treachery, Mjollnir's Might!
I'll hurl you to the East,
And take you ever from my sight,
Begone now from this Feast,
Leave these halls, you treacherous Wight!"
Loki burst in laughter,
"Oh, what stories the East does hold!
Glory, you were after,
But, Thor! You, champion, so bold!
You cowered at that time,
As helpless as a tiny mouse-
And escape, couldn't find-
In the thumb of a glove, you louse!"
"Quell they words or I swear
Your vile blood will be drained this night,
For your words I've no care,
Your slandered tongue, Mjollnir's Might!
As my right hand did fall,
Wielding this hammer, Jottun's foe,
Bane was I to that hall,
And Hrungnir's slayer, you, well, know!"
"My life, I think, be long.
Thor, Loki you will not kill,
You cannot say I'm wrong!
Remember you were bound and still
And food you couldn't grasp
The Giants had you for their toy
Bound taught by Skrymir's straps.
Dinner, then, would have been a joy!"
"Quell thy words, or I swear
Your vile blood be spilled this night
For your words, I've no care
Your slandered tongue, Mjollnir's Might!
As I hold Hrungnir's bane,
My hammer send you to Hel's Gate
And bind you there in chains.
Leave now! Longer I will not wait!"
"Hlorritha, I'll now leave,
For I know your power be true.
I grant the Gods reprieve,
I know I'd not win against you.
Though, I will, at least, say,
As truth my words were spoken here,"
Then Loki turned away,
"Things I had need of you to hear."
Loki tooked to Aegir
"And you. Your mead was exquisite,
I'm glad to have been here.
Though short, I must cut this visit.
Flame will come upon you
All who stand in Aegir's hall,
In crimson, golden hue,
To ashes all the Gods will fall!"
The words, hardly spoken,
Loki laid upon the cold ground,
Both his legs were broken.
With his son's entrails, he was bound
Out of sight, Loki stayed
Tied taught against a mighty blade,
His child, dead and flayed,
Loki, silent, his time he bade.
The Gods, a serpent placed
To drip venom on Loki's skull
Sygin stopped this in haste,
Gathered the drippings in a bowl.
When the venom hits him
His writhings cause the earths to shake.
He loathes the Gods their sin,
And now for Ragnarok he waits.
©
Æsctun Þórolf Vinðlér-Lókasson (Ashton Pfeiffer)
Violet Jester
Illustration
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