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~ Historical & Classical Poetry ~
To the Gods
Odin Allfather!
let your Light
Shine strong in my heart!
Fear of death
You alone have might to heal.
Teach me to find Mimirs well
Between the dark forrest threes,
Teach me to cool my flames
In the cool well of wisdom.
Give me strenght Asa-Thor!
Strenghten my hammer of war;
Teach me on this wild Earth.
To fight the jotuns of darkness.
Teach me from my own spirit
The Midgard serpents devious pain,
That smothers my heart,
To cast away with my hand.
Strenghten me Bragi! with your gaze;
Teach my harp to play holy songs.
Quench my thirst with Suttungs drink,
Carry me on your eagle wings.
Let your sweet apples,
Idunn into my beaker flow,
Let me in abbundance the fruit enjoy,
that renews the force of life.
Frey! golden fruitful!
Lord of plenty!
You, that gave grain to the Earth
Shaken from your Gullinbursti.
Give me a modest meal,
While my song in the forrest sounds.
Let me without fear of hunger
Practise my strings of music.
Frigga! in your Herthadal,
By a hill in your forrest,
Build your son a hall of leaves,
Near the lakes sillent waves.
Rise it where I saw the light,
Where my days of childhood waned,
Where friendship was left behind,
Give me a trusted compannion.
Come down to us then
Lovely Freya! Joy of the North!
Bring my bride to my hall,
Embrace us with your golden chain.
Surround us in your hair so bold,
That no heroes might can withstand.
Habor broke Sigars chains,
Signes hair him captive held!
Many a night, when Aegirs sea
Cool against the beach breaks,
Rise then Balder from thy grave
While you in twilight Sunna hails.
Strenghten my spirit with your calm,
Let me harvest the flowers of life,
Learn by holy thought,
Me to find hope and faith!
Then when Lokis hard spear
Hod thrust into my heart.
Follow your friends dark path,
Through Hels fear and pain;
Strengthen me with your divine courage!
Raise me up from the crowded Earth
With you, to your shining Gimle,
Fair Balder good!Adam Oehlenschläger (1779-1850) Short Biography of Adam Oehlenschläger
Translation by Rune Bjørnsen, used by his permission
Image: "All the Gods Descending", von Stassen, 1914
