Category: Poetry & Literature
Spirits of the Land
By Aeswyn OR
Out of the ether they come to us
Those spirits ethereal.
But there is no place
For them to dwell.
Traces of Germanic Deities in the “God” of Beowulf
By Jim AOR
In examining references to the Christian god in Beowulf, we can discern the presence of pre-Christian Germanic deities. Many academics today minimize the etymology of certain terms found in Beowulf and many translators use their poetic license to dilute the Heathen meanings of these same terms. Yet we can see in many ways the presence of Wyrd, the Norns, and sacral kingship in Beowulf. These implied uses of pre-Christian deities reinforce the idea that the church had not “won” in England in the early middle ages and still had to compromise with the Odinic spirit of the Anglo-Saxons.
The Journey – Part III
By Phil AOR
Sweat ran down Dylan’s face, despite the sub-zero temperatures. He knew he had to rest; just for a few minutes in order to get some food inside him. A rocky outcrop appeared along the path, and Dylan quickened his pace. Moments later he was squatting down beside his rucksack, out of reach of the icy wind. He stuffed his map case inside his coat and flexed his hands in an attempt to get the blood circulating, then rapidly sought out his flask and sandwiches.
The Soul of England
By Juleigh Howard-Hobson AOR
They lay close to what we were told to know
Of where they would be. Each knight, each horse, all
Asleep within the hollow hill. Although
We were told the old tales, told to recall
Them, …
Change: The Myth of the Giant Maiden
By Hervor OR
Once upon a far and distant time, when the Gods were young – ere the First War was fought, or a wall built round Asgard – when we all lived in the forest and nobody lived anywhere else, the lad, Thor, sat on a shining summit of the Sacred Mountain, and looked out over the Earth.
Einherjar 987 AD
By Juleigh Howard-Hobson AOR
To claim the future’s birthright as their own
The einherjar, reborn on old blood lines
To old families all, came back. Winds had blown
Bitter change since they last entered time:
No more tall Thor poles …
The Journey – Part II
By Phil AOR
Things were pretty normal in the weeks after the accident. Time spent in the hospital had been short lived and rebuilding the damaged bike was first and foremost in Dylan’s mind upon his release. Progress was slow until the insurance cheque came through, but thereafter things moved along quickly. Yet as the last finishing touches were completed, a weight began to impose itself on his shoulders.
Last Stand
By Phil AOR
At Odin’s side we now await,
That which would become our fate,
We fight a war with words not steel,
We fight a foe we cannot feel,
The Journey
By Phil AOR
The colours passed by in a blur of yellow, red and orange, and the cool autumn air rushed across Dylan’s face as he picked another gear and listened to the thunder from the open pipes of his jet black Triumph motorcycle. In another age his steed would have had iron hooves rather than rubber radials, but in essence it was all the same. As far as transport was concerned, the motorcycle, like the horse, was the natural choice of the free thinker and kept the weather-beaten traveller in close contact with the elements.
Brotherhood
By Penda Wulfr OR
The darkness of night gathers over a circle of trees
Enveloping the wood with a blanket so dark no one sees
Two figures break the scene, a spark of light in the dark so clear
It is you and I my brother, preparing a time we will both hold dear
The leaves turn their faces to watch the sacred blot
While earthworm, too busy, takes down the dead leaves to rot
