Many have questioned,
in dream and in trance,
Whence the first woman, whence the first man,
Whence came the people, who live on this land?
Fated humans sprang from Ash and from Elm.
Hard and soft driftwood, of little worth,
tested by the older-gods at birth,
opposites joined, together ignite.
The Mother gave them the breath of life,
wisdom a gift from the tree of knowledge,
warmth and good health flowed from bright god Sun,
but the Wyrd carved their destiny.
Many have questioned,
in dream and in trance, from
whence comes the fire, whence come the flood?
Dark forces will stir when the moon shines blood.
Mountains tremble and glaciers melt,
a corpse-wind spreads across the land,
blown in on the wing of swans of death,
as the black wolf swallows the sun.
Many have questioned,
In dream and in trance,
After the Mighty-Winter is gone,
whom of the Iceir, if any, live on?
Life and Life-lover in garden dwell,
under Yggdrasil, beside Urd’s well,
sustained by the fresh morning dew,
two now free of fate, to begin anew.
James Hall’s poetry collection Prairie Roots was published April 2023 by Shanti Arts Publishing. His writing has appeared in Hobo Camp Review, Utopia, Deep Overstock, and others. He is a writer and physician with interests in cider craft, cross country skiing and dire portents.