Author: michael raven

  • hidden-faced moon

    Photo by Cornelia Munteanu on Unsplash
    embracing the forest's fog
    delving ever deeper within
    shaking off distraction
    with the rising of a hood
    so that both
    seeing & hearing
    becomes more clear

    a murder calls of autumn
    long rains, hidden-faced moon

  • fractured moons

    Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash
    these fractured moons
    stolen away with threadbare
    etched in whalebone hue

    time to turn off the radio
    listen to the forest hum
    time to watch waves come anew

    oh, these lonely
    moon broke nights
    between a hard place and you

  • callings

    Photo by Stephane Gagnon on Unsplash
    leaving oceans west
    we turn & leave sun
    to tread north & night

    to tombstone & ice
    with frenzies far spent
    we give of thorn, scathed

    with waves washing
    blades dig black to snow
    calling of moon

  • Moving stuff 2wo

    Photo by Shannon Kunkle on Unsplash

    UPDATE:

    It seems that things are working as intended so far and I cleaned up some of the rune pages. As I mentioned before, sceadugenga.com is no longer intended to be a standard blog, but more of a static reference website for Elder Futhark runes and, as time permits, I’ll be updating and improving the ogham/ogam pages as well (which currently need a little TLC and work to complete the second half of the alphabet). I may eventually add more pages that include my other explorations into neolithic animism and indigenous beliefs.

    If you want to check it out, feel free to visit sceadugenga.com. If you want to go back to what it last looked like and re-read earlier posts of a more traditional blogging nature, you can view the archive at walksinshadows.wordpress.com.

    Have a great evening!

  • skrit

    Campfire
    Photo by Ville Palmu on Unsplash
    hand cast stones at
    the nothing of alone
    washing the waves
    on over my night eyes

    even the wights wait
    to speak, chewing silence

    scoring steel with flint
    seeking sparks in empty
    skrit skrat skreet
    we are the ravens
    at their clams

    sputtering flames
    we gather to heat
    chill bones

  • Moving stuff around

    Anxiety reigns, although it really shouldn’t play a role. And I mean, not at all.

    I’m dedicating part of my weekend to migrate my previous site over to my new host and change the registrar over to them as well. I decided that I liked Sceadugenga for a site name and I don’t want to give it up, even if I don’t plan to make it my main site. And, seeing it is up for renewal, and I am allowed several sites for the same price as a single site at this host, I’ve decided now is the time for the move.

    Why am I anxious? I am not certain. I have the backup files. The site won’t actually redirect folks until I point the internet to it, which I won’t do until I have everything set up at the new host.

    It is likely just the lack of familiarity with the process that makes me feel all nervy and itchy. And I’m not sure why it takes a minimum of half an hour before I see what has been broke due to my lack of experience.

    Aded: I think I did it wrong. already. Rework is not my favorite past-time and I’m thinking it is going to require rework.

    What will eventually be sceadugenga is probably almost exclusively my rune pages and other resources that I continue to link to. The posts will probably all go private or be eliminated completely to keep sceadugenga running light. And while I can just park the domain, I typically prefer to not do such things. Use it if you have it, that kinda thing.

    Wish me luck.

  • stone alone

    Photo by Jo Amos on Unsplash
    i gave to ground
    & scrimshawed
    all my bone

    called to north of
    badb, my stone
    etched of heart song

    to feather dance
    in spun spiral &
    rhythm slow

    stone alone
    at nightmoons
    here comes her
    snow

  • tossing a rune — 15aug25

    laguz
    from her source
    the first kiss of winter
    to her river flows

    taking up blackthorn
    i seek to pathfind
    her snows

    Another rune poem of mine, where the rune is selected at random.

    Today’s rune is laguz, which has a core meaning of “lake” and, by extension, may be interpreted as “river”, “ocean”, “sea”, “waterfall” or a general body of water. Some alternative interpretations define as “leek”. Following the more commonly accepted meaning, bodies of water were considered liminal spaces, a place between life and death or the threshold space between which spirit and substance resides.

  • winternight

    a blue face glowing
    Photo by Merlin Lightpainting on Pexels.com
    crack hands old oak
    wrapped around my love
    i hollow the heartwood
    until she slips inside
    she comes the winter
    she comes the night
    she comes the winternight

    pinpricks my body torn
    needles dance my arms
    we sickle under midmoon
    white kissed before we're born
    she comes the winter
    she comes the night
    she comes winternight

  • Half-penny thoughts | 14aug25

    Image of a writing journal and a pencil.
    Photo by Dariusz Sankowski on Unsplash

    I have problems with the logic behind the pithy advice that in order to be a great writer, you must read. Voraciously. I know Stephen King has been credited with saying something along those lines, and I’m pretty certain he isn’t the first author to give such advice. [Oh no! Nobody Author dares counter the prevailing wisdom of the Almighty Stephen King! Heresy!]

    I mean, I think that might be partially true if you are looking to emulate a style, a genre or an author. I will submit that you should be well-read in order to know how others write — as long as when you have done so, you read or have read with a critical eye. Reading only eye-candy and consuming to consume will not make anyone a great writer. But I question the concept that the reading requirement is a persistent prerequisite for writing great things.

    It is probably a good thing that I have no ambitions for greatness. I’m quite alright just writing and enjoying the act of writing. Happy about it, even. So there’s little risk of greatness coming from my little corner of the world. I honestly should let those striving towards greatness deal with this question and not worry my pretty little head about the matter.

    But I’m not convinced being a constant reader necessarily is a requirement towards being a great writer. Especially if you want to be a writer that wants to be the pathfinder type. To boldly go where no one has gone before, or some such thing. Or the subversive, where you need to have enough freedom apart from classic tropes to break them while still remaining familiar with them. I can see several other types of writers who could benefit from not “reading when they aren’t writing.”

    When wisdom seems to not stand up to scrutiny, I get all nervy and bothered and I end up saying something.

    Am I off the mark? Probably. But I remain unconvinced that the wisdom that a writer must read as part of their formula for greatness always holds true.

    I know… I’m all duck and cover after this post. Especially after invoking and questioning the King of Horror’s holy gospel.

    Your thoughts?

    Be gentle as you tear me a new hole. I break easy.