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~ By Courtesy of Others ~

 

My Journey Through the Nine Worlds

I Hail the Northern Gods of Old,
Their voices call my name.
And to all the Ancient Heroes,
I hail Thee all the same.

I start my quest in Middangeard,
Where Men and Heroes lie.
And where Eagor’s daughters are seen
On beaches beneath the sky.

In Middangeard I saw a man,
Old and without an eye.
I asked him for his guidance and
He smiled as he passed by.

In Middangeard I saw the Sea,
The waves crashed over me.
I travelled through the Old Forests
And saw the Great Ash Tree.

In Middangeard I ran with Deer,
And hunted with the Bear.
I howled at Night with the Gray Wolf,
And slept within her care.

In Middangeard I saw the Wars,
That rose when Man came forth
I soared above the Battlefields,
With Ravens from the North.

In Middangeard I saw the pyres,
That burned in Glory’s name.
I watched the Wælcyrie ride forth
And bring the Heroes fame.

This Middangeard I call my Home,
Circled by the Great Sea.
Oh beautiful Earth, I leave you.
Middangeard, I leave Thee.

I enter the Jarnviðr next,
Iron Wood, above all,
To find the land of Eotenas,
Where the Mountains stand tall.

In Eotenham I saw the stars,
Þjazi’s eyes shone bright.
The Giants let me pass them by,
Under cover of Night.

In Eotenham I saw the Hall
Of Sceadu, Þjazi’s kin.
Neorð was there, sick for the Ocean,
Longing for the sea-wind.

In Eotenham I scaled the Walls
Of the Mountains so high.
I saw from there the Frozen Sea
And Útgarðar nearby.

I crossed the famous Rainbow Bridge,
And found the Ése-Realm.
The Whitest of the Gods let me
Pass beneath his helm.

In Ésageard I saw the Gods,
And feasted in their Hall.
I tipped my Mead-horn in their names,
In Woden’s most of All.

In Ésageard we trained for War.
Einherjar, Hero-Folk.
I battled with my Ancestors,
Prepare for Ragnarök!

In Ésageard I drank the Mead
That flows from Heiðrún‘s teat.
That Golden Nectar tastes so sweet,
Like Sæhrimnir’s pink meat.

In Ésageard I saw all Worlds,
And sat in Woden’s Throne.
I released Hugin and Munin,
To me all things were shown.

I travel then to the Elf Home,
Ælfham, gift to God Fréa.
The beauty of Sól encaptured,
In the Elves of the Sky.

In Ælfham I saw the Light Elves,
Praised by the Gods and Men.
Not even the Sun is fairer.
I left for Wenaham then.

In Wenaham I saw the Wanes,
The Wise and Fertile Gods.
The beautiful Fréa and Fréo,
Asleep, my head then nods.

In Wenaham I slept in warmth,
I tasted the salty air.
I woke to the Golden Sunne,
To Hel then I would faire.

In Hel I walked the Helvergr,
Walked by the Gjøll River.
Modgud and Garm opened Helgrind,
I entered the Nether.

In Hel I saw the resting place,
Of those who’d died of age.
A grave-world for the common dead,
Hel, this miserable cage.

In Hel I saw the dead White God,
In his corpse-pale likeness.
The prize of the Gods of the Sky,
Killed by Loke’s kindness.

In Hel I came to Elviðnir,
And met the Goddess Hel.
I asked once more for Balder’s life,
His life she would not sell.

In Hel I went to Kvøllheimr,
And saw the wicked turn.
I walked then into Wyrmsele,
And felt the venom’s burn.

I travelled south to Sweartælfham,
Home to the Blackest Elves.
They dwell in dirt and caves of stone,
Into their caves I delve.

In Sweartælfham I saw the Dwarves,
The best of all craftsmen.
In their forges was made Mjölner,
From the depths of their dens.

In Sweartælfham I saw the Earth,
From its deep, dark center.
I saw the gemstones of beauty,
And Fire did I enter.

In Múspell I saw burning Fire,
A primordial world.
Through the blackened smoke I saw naught,
Save for the flames that curled.

In Múspell I smelt the sulphur,
That flowed from Surtr’s breath.
The Beast of dreaded Ragnarök,
Who brings the Ése death.

I travelled North to Nifolham,
The land of mist and frost.
A landscape so dull and drear,
In its mists was I lost.

In Nifolham I saw rivers,
That flowed into the black.
Ginnungagap, the great Abyss,
From thee no things come back.

In Nifolham I saw the ice,
Frozen ‘til the Great End.
Primordial realm of water,
From thee do I ascend.

I’ve now returned to Middangeard,
Home of Forests and Seas.
And throughout all of my journeys,
I’ve loved none as I love thee.

I Hail the Northern Gods of Old,
Their voices call my name.
And to all the Ancient Heroes,
I hail Thee all the same.

I hail the Gods of Ésageard,
And of Wenaham too,
But Oh, Spirits of Middangeard,
I’ll return to you soon.

© Caleb Gordon

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