chestnut flicked in amber
to tease and taunt of eye
stonewater crest elder oak
shadow slip past of my
dream her wrapped arms
on arms in arms against
the coming gale
hollow you, broken child
stolen child, darkling
of the vale
Category: writing
lean in, ask
none of this exists until
you lean in and ask
given to fever in drift
flowing over in waves
my jaw aches for silence
wired shut
you dream in a
wordspun heaven only
a breath away
lean in, askrose of sanctuary
sell me rose of sanctuary
in rainsoaked night
help me forget in rhythm
as you pull me in under
the afterglow neon lights
and grant me sweet releasecasting runes — 06jan26
thurisaz pinprick crimson welling
nearly night for richness red
leaving behind chants & cantrips
trailing bright against snow
dragging, we cut tether with
leather-strapped bone
weary, we rest
drawing warmth from mother sunA poem prompted by a randomly selected Elder Futhark rune.
Today’s rune is thurisaz, which has several core translations: “thorn” or “giant”. The rune is often associated with pain or discomfort (often for an important transitional or transformative reason) or raw power that may be destructive. It is also considered protective, regenerative, and is frequently associated with women’s menstrual health.
Please visit my Elder Futhark pages at sceadugenga.com for additional interpretations of the runes based on multiple references and personal reflection.
casting runes — 05jan25
mannaz scrimblindeyes & staggerfall
mask up, mask up
she crowcalls & so
allfacesup & whiteblank
everyone undances
that skeletonwaltzA poem prompted by a randomly selected Elder Futhark rune.
Today’s rune is mannaz, a rune that translates to “man” in the sense of “humankind”. The rune is associated with family and the social order, and in trusting the intuitive process or seeing clearly — both from within and from without. Mannaz influences relationships of all kinds, including those of a romantic nature, and encourages compassion, for oneself as well as for others.
Please visit my Elder Futhark pages at sceadugenga.com for additional interpretations of the runes based on multiple references and personal reflection.
vagary
Photo by Adarsh Kummur on Unsplash i have given to sacrifice my sleeve
it grows cold with naught pinned
nor sewn
and i have not much need of it
anymore
anyway
having gone to mud
ravens scrimshaw my bone
a stern reminder of place
bound in baling cut flesh
deep
do you recall lace curtains'
gentle ruffle of summer breeze?the story ends
this is how the story ends
with whispers & turnaway eyes
under midnight skies
they shuffle from shade to fade
forgetting color & tone
given to ash on tongue
lacking substance at touch
howling as we slip awaycasting runes — 04jan26
nauthiz a disused, crooked trail
leading from the main
few choose this path
due to hardship, harry & thorn
but crows beckon, call—
it is also the path
of greater rewardA rune poem, based on an Elder Futhark rune selected at random.
Today’s rune is nauthiz, which has a core meaning of “need”. Alternative translations have been “hardship” or “constraint”. Among other interpretations, nauthiz is seen as a indicative of a transition or transformation, a period of learning or strengthening of resilience, lacking, change, and impermanence — inclusive of other related concepts.
Please visit my Elder Futhark pages at sceadugenga.com for additional interpretations of the runes based on multiple references and personal reflection.
casting runes — 03jan26
isaz riverstone under ice
carved of water, air between
linger now, maple leaf
but unfrozen come springA rune poem, based on an Elder Futhark rune selected at random.
Today’s rune is isaz, a rune that is translated as the word “ice”. Sources associate isaz with a calmness, present moment or stillness. As ice, isaz is sometimes associated with standstill, stagnation, stasis or contraction; even at times as pristine beauty with seductive qualities.
Please visit my Elder Futhark pages at sceadugenga.com for additional interpretations of the runes based on multiple references and personal reflection.
Stonerot
We are Slaved of the Riverbound, and so even more stone than they. We are to be culled and carved away to make way for the flow which our overlords assure us is necessary for live to carry forth.
I could see in the guards eyes and with the way he held his crop that he toyed with riding me. There was a gossamer thread between enforcing compliance and wanton thrill, and the guard had yet to decide if there would be his own punishment or glory in mounting me — if my transgressions warranted it, or were it to premature and hasty to act yet. Overly-eager guards were subject to the same punishments as the slaved. Our overlords wanted their workforce compliant, but largely intact and able to work, after all.
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