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  • Half-penny thoughts — 07jan26

    07Jan26 | 10.11 CST
    © 2026

    michael raven

    c: 260107.1011

    Sometimes, when I look in the mirror or in the work chat camera, I’m a little surprised by who I see there. The person looking back at me appears to be a reflection of myself, except that all that grey and all that beard (not to mention the bushier eyebrows) seems much more gnome that it ought to be for the person I recall being.

    If I’m being generous, I replace the “gnome” with “druid”. However, self-generosity doesn’t come easy, so gnome is of more frequent use. Perhaps there is a better description? I’ll have to think about it (I’ve not quite evolved into a “troll”, but I suspect it will come sooner than later).

    Are you ever surprised by who you see in pictures of yourself? If so, do you think it is generally for the better or for the worse? If you were to use a common word or phrase of less than five words, what do you think best describes your general appearance or that someone might mistake you for being?

    tagged:

    ch-ch-ch-changes, frivolity, gnomish, half-penny thoughts

    filed under:

    thinking

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    Half-penny thoughts — 07jan26

  • of the vale

    07Jan26 | 07.19 CST
    © 2026

    michael raven

    c: 260107.0719
    a path in the middle of a dark forest
    Photo by Wes Hicks on Unsplash
    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

    tagged:

    betwixt and between, poetry

    filed under:

    poetry

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    of the vale

  • lean in, ask

    06Jan26 | 21.12 CST
    © 2026

    michael raven

    c: 260106.2112
    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, ask

    tagged:

    betwixt and between, poetry, the dreaming

    filed under:

    poetry

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    lean in, ask

  • rose of sanctuary

    06Jan26 | 14.33 CST
    © 2026

    michael raven

    c: 260106.1433
    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 release

    tagged:

    poetry

    filed under:

    poetry

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    rose of sanctuary

  • casting runes — 06jan26

    06Jan26 | 09.40 CST
    © 2026

    michael raven

    c: 260106.0940
    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 sun

    A 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.

    tagged:

    poetry, rewilding, rune, thurisaz

    filed under:

    poetry

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    casting runes — 06jan26

  • Pervasive thought

    05Jan26 | 22.55 CST
    © 2026

    michael raven

    c: 260105.2255

    10.55: Oh, bother.

    tagged:


    filed under:

    junk drawer

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    Pervasive thought

  • casting runes — 05jan25

    05Jan26 | 14.30 CST
    © 2026

    michael raven

    c: 260105.1430
    mannaz
    scrimblindeyes & staggerfall
    mask up, mask up
    she crowcalls & so
    allfacesup & whiteblank
    everyone undances
    that skeletonwaltz

    A 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.

    tagged:

    mannaz, poetry, rewilding, rune

    filed under:

    poetry

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    casting runes — 05jan25

  • half-penny thoughts — 05jan26

    05Jan26 | 12.59 CST
    © 2026

    michael raven

    c: 260105.1259

    I’m probably overlooking quite a few artists, but it sure seems like the vast majority of them these days are very serious about their music.

    That’s not to say that I didn’t listen to and work with musicians in the past who were very serious about their music, but it seemed there were more folks in earlier eras who were a lot less serious about it. Or, they were serious musician who leaned into satire instead of saying things like, “We are artistes, not baboons. Go away and baboon elsewhere.”

    (more…)

    tagged:

    half-penny thoughts, music, sad attempts at humor

    filed under:

    listening, thinking

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    half-penny thoughts — 05jan26

  • vagary

    05Jan26 | 09.45 CST
    © 2026

    michael raven

    c: 260105.0945
    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?

    tagged:

    poetry, rewilding

    filed under:

    poetry

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    vagary

  • the story ends

    04Jan26 | 19.49 CST
    © 2026

    michael raven

    c: 260104.1949
    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 away

    tagged:

    betwixt and between, poetry

    filed under:

    poetry

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    the story ends

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