Category: poetry

  • purgatory

    purgatory wasting through
    these feet miss those pavements
    they once knew, with that
    rattle clack underbridge
    and runaway trains
    going noplace, from
    weatherworn couch south
    to lay-z-boy destinations
    east of uptown lights and
    rusted fingers grasping rails

    if only heaven would come
    in on the five-o’clock dream
    we might feel alive
    once again

  • casting runes — 18nov25

    ehwaz
    i have flown
    to the moon
    on ebon wings
    over an ocean
    of night
    just to hold
    her face
    next to mine

    A poem prompted by a randomly selected Elder Futhark rune.

    Today’s rune is ehwaz, which has a core meaning of “horse”. A horse is often associated with journeys, travel and movement. By extension, it also implies symbiosis with another living creature or fylgja (guardian spirit), and the rune is associated with loyalty or trust. Any undertaken journey may be spatial, emotional or spiritual.

    Please visit my Elder Futhark pages at sceadugenga.com for additional interpretations of the runes based on multiple references and personal reflection.

  • those wisps

    these bones, some mine
    under stone, turquoise skies 
    painted pale on my heart
    some lingering...

    we wraith ride
    howl, our wind flag snaps
    i believe in faith of love
    just not this here, this time

    memories, those wisps
    slipping between the veil

  • casting runes — 14nov25

    ansuz
    with back to trunk
    he sings the tree
    burrow-fingers the loam
    with bone rap-trapping
    rhythms in time with
    an oncoming storm

    A poem prompted by a randomly selected Elder Futhark rune.

    Today’s rune is ansuz, which has a core meaning “a god” (intended to be Odin), “mouth” or “breath”. Odin is representative of many, many things… in this case, ansuz is most representative of the mouth/breath (speech) that gives life to poetry, magic, song, language, and spirit — largely inseparable in the Viking worldview — and Odin is considered the supreme master of these intertwined concepts. By way of the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, the rune is named æsc, which is translated to “ash”, a tree associated with Odin and is representative of resilience and strength.

    Please visit my Elder Futhark pages at sceadugenga.com for additional interpretations of the runes based on multiple references and personal reflection.

  • star to stone

    lessons learned,
    i fold up my life
    tears and creases plenty
    across a worn map
    places to see through
    the hills and vale
    stuff it into my satchel
    without ceremony
    as i crush compass
    underboot and follow
    a star to stone

  • casting runes — 13nov25

    raido
    tasting the breath
    of a weary world exhaling
    while sitting chilled on
    an autumn slope behind
    i may have gone vulpine
    tonight in the
    heart of the wood

    A poem prompted by a randomly selected Elder Futhark rune.

    Today’s rune is raido, which has been translated as “ride” and the implied “journey”. This may be spatial and literal in practice (a physical journey), or it may be more figurative (an inner/shamanic journey, i.e., útiseta). The rune is associated with cyclic motion and the movement of the sun. Some consider the journey represented by raido to be that of returning.

    Please visit my Elder Futhark pages at sceadugenga.com for additional interpretations of the runes based on multiple references and personal reflection.

  • passings

    brambling on briar inside
    deadfall viscera brittle
    under autumn's low sun
    hoar on the rooftops pale

    i think we are done here
    just a few more before

  • my eye

    not chasing butterflies i
    not watching foxfire tonight
    wisps, they drift the willow
    and there i turn my eye

    she wraps her pale in shadow
    she wraps my heart in wire
    tug with bone scarred ivory
    wrapping shades through my eye

    bit lip to raw and scarlet
    bit neck to pierce the sighs
    inking skin with stars and night
    sending ink to black my eye

  • casting runes — 12nov25

    eihwaz
    my spirit is shadow
    flowing slow of evenfall river
    where murky banks slip by
    & all eyes turn away
    while scarlet leaves
    spin the eddies in-between

    A rune poem, based on an Elder Futhark rune selected at random.

    Today’s rune is eihwaz, it’s name meaning “yew”, is a rune of change and transformation. It represents the cycle of life/death/rebirth and is symbolic of the axis mundi (the world tree). The yew is envisioned as a path towards both the underworld and the heavenly realms. It is associated both with poison and protection as part of its perceived dual nature.

    Please visit my Elder Futhark pages at sceadugenga.com for additional interpretations of the runes based on multiple references and personal reflection.

  • on the ridge

    this, i foxfoot mine
    under the flint
    waiting on rime
    this, old ways skein
    tangled up on me

    here, mosshaired stone
    under the rain
    waiting on time
    here, poppet a pocket
    tangled up on line