Home
Poems: My Own
Poems: By others
Poems: Classical
Poems: Multilingual
Music & Songs
Stories & Myths
Links to Poetry
About & FAQ
Terms of Use
Contact, Site Notice
Submissions

The Latest
 

~ By Courtesy of Others ~

 

The Mead of Poetry

A new poetic account of an ancient Norse tale, approaching the old Norse form of Fornyrdislag.

Listen to it read on the author's blog: The Mead of Poetry, on SoundCloud, or view as machinima film on YouTube.

Mead Of Poetry           all men makes wise.
Mimir's Knowledge      harbors secrets.
Odin by Charms           calls insights forth.
The Dew of Truth         and destiny.
 
Aesir Vanir                  abjure their war.
In bond of Gods           good Kvasir sired.
Wielding Knowledge    he wisdom shares,
Traveling far                teaching freely.
 
Fjalar Galar                 two ghastly Dwarves.
Resentment grew         into darkness...
They killed Kvasir        but kept his blood,
With honey brewed     poetry's mead.
 
Fjalar Galar                 a Giant's bane
His wife they slayed     bloodthirsty brood.
Suttung the Giant         weregild Dwarves' mead,
Three barrels hid         beneath mountain.
 
Without delay              departing hence,
To  taste the mead       of inspiration...
Odin he sought            Suttung's brother,
Baugi his name,            mead will bring him.
 
Odin intent                   inveigled plan,
Workmen's discord      will die fighting.
Baugi becalmed,           Odin burst in,
As Bolverk garbed       he was disguised.
 
Bolverk struck deal      Baugi defray,
Harvest he'd take         for taste of mead.
Once work was done   Bolverk's demand,
Suttung refused,            mead denied him.
 
Odin inverse                initiate,
The mead to man         poetry's gate.
Bolverk with wiles       wheedled Baugi,
Into Mountain              he drilled a hole.
 
Odin stole in                with stealth of snake,
As quiet as snow         heartbeats halted.
Gunnlod asleep            as mead she guards,
Sutting's daughter         should be watchful. 
 
Odin moon-eyed          found magic mead
Then Gunnlod gasped   in her waking.
Odin had changed        handsome young giant,
Under his charm          she was heedless.
 
Odin thrice kissed        three barrels quaff,
And Gunnlod lost         the magic mead.
Sutting startled             by Gunnlods scream,
As Odin flew               with his treasure.
 
Odin escaped               on eagles wing,
Riding the winds           to his country.
Sutting he seethed        searching he flew,
Chasing Odin                into Asgard.
 
When eagle saw           Aesir approached,
Odin's return                would bring blessing.
Down Odin flew           in flash arrived,
With barrels three         he would share them.
 
On Sutting shone          sun rays of dawn,
His eagle fell,                to stone transformed.
And Odin spake           So Shall It Be,
Sunlight Strike Down    Those Darkness Leads!
 
No silent gold               nor silver grasp,
To wisdom voice          shall insight see.
They then rejoiced        themselves to drink,
The magic mead           of poetry.

© Celestial Elf

The Mead of Poetry - article, poem, and sound file on "The Dance of Life", the blog of CelestialElf.
 

Back to : [ by Theme ]   [ by Author ]   [ by Title ]