For some continuity in a chaotic time, I repost this Yule poem from 2011 and wish all the happiest of Yuletides, while we leave the New Year to fend for itself.
Happy Yule to All!
Yule Goat
In December’s dark descent
across crackled breaking sky ice
slivered with dagger snow,
bells ring in whitened night, sharp
hooves stamp on the cloudcloth
shaking pearl dust stripes on
emerald spruces' candelabra arms,
turquoise and white pinwheels
circling their wands
of bitter bark raven haunted.
The god of thunders
pulls the sun's shadow,
flickering hammer tucked
in his brace of clouds,
drives his twin goats
toward the time when day
and night are strait, equals at last
as Odin's wild hunt
passes damned, mad,
howling overhead
The Snarler and the Grinder
fleet of foot, heedless of fate
run on; tonight's feast, tomorrow’s
feat, killed for meat this starvelingrun on; tonight's feast, tomorrow’s
night, raised at dawn.
Spread the skins and
let each bone
fall with care so
those here reborn
race again on the solar wind.
O bright black eye
split with too much knowledge
devil’s mask, canting voice
of the abyss, god's bearer, hunger's enemy
come bless us this Yule with your
yellow stare, ignite yourself
yellow stare, ignite yourself
against the hag’s winter storm,
flute your flames through a straw ribcage.
Watch us make the old dance new again
under the reckless stars.
December 2011
In
Norse myth, Thor was not only provided with his mountain-shattering
hammer Mjölnir, his magical, strength doubling belt Megingjörð, but a chariot in which he traveled through the sky pulled by two goats, Tanngrisnir (Old Norse "teeth-barer, snarler") and Tanngnjóstr (Old Norse "teeth grinder") spoken of in the Prose Edda, who could be slain for food at Thor's discretion then resurrected with the power of Mjölnir and returned to the traces.~ from
wikipedia: 'The Yule Goat is one of the oldest Scandinavian and
Northern European Yule and Christmas symbols and traditions. Originally
denoting the goat that was slaughtered during the Germanic pagan
festival of Yule, "Yule Goat" now typically refers to a goat-figure made
of straw. It is also associated with the custom of wassailing,
sometimes referred to as "going Yule Goat" in Scandinavia.' As always,
I've taken a few liberties with the letter of the myths.You can read
more about the folklore of the Yule Goat here and the Wild Hunt here.
Images:
Header Photo: Goat watching, by DAV.es, on flick'r
Shared under a Creative Commons License
Footer Photo: The Gävle goat burning, author unknown
All copyright belongs to the copyright holder
Images:
Header Photo: Goat watching, by DAV.es, on flick'r
Shared under a Creative Commons License
Footer Photo: The Gävle goat burning, author unknown
All copyright belongs to the copyright holder
At least some things can be depended upon, and your Yule Goat poem is one of the best. Happy Horrordays, my BFF. Soon it will be over and can be drowned in its own (presumably figgy) pudding and buried with a stake of holly through its heart. Hoorah! :-P
ReplyDeleteFine reprise, Hedge with the resonance of lost scripture. The remnants of the old faith are so scattered - we get Yule Eve in a mash of All Hallows, the Great Hunt, St. Lucy's night (the old date of the winter solstice, Dec. 13) and Christmas Eve. The abyssal night of the hunter-gatherer wed (or merged) to/with the Neolithic agricultural god, eyed "blackly' by Odin and danced madly in the starlight. I've always loved the raw bone you gnaw in these makeshift altars -- an animal bleakness which Ted Hughes echoed -- sweeping cheery christian hearths out to a brutal winter's wind. Primal truth battens here. Happy Yule and here's to "those here reborn" (that they) "race again on the solar wind."
ReplyDeletejust wanted to say, I love this ~
ReplyDelete