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She Walks
Across the field she walks
the battle is over now
The wargs and ravens converge
straggling in for their feast
The wargs with shaggy coats
crimson with warrior's blood
With their snarls and growls
they frighten her to her soul
But never will she show it
atheling blood must be brave
Anything less dishonors her
and her fallen kinsmen
Armed only with her scramaseax
she walks among the wargs
They pay her little heed
as she hurries on her way
Her scramaseax's hilt securely
grasped in a small hand
It's cold steel reassures her
and tempers her warg fear
She searches the wargs banquet
seeking her lost warrior
An atheling of most noble birth
hoping that still he lives
Upon the eyes of a prince
a blood stained raven feasts
A heroic end for an atheling
so noble and brave a warrior
Ruby red becomes her gown
stained with Einherjar blood
From the hallows it has filled
upon the contest's field
The heath scattered with steel
crafted by lithe smith's hands
Into razor honed battle blades
to rend the flesh of Midgard
Shattered swords and spears
sprout from midgard's fields
Well watered with the blood
of athelings and thanes alike
Over these remains she treads
bearing her head high and proud
At her gown once fine they tear
shredding the fabric to tatters
To each of the fallen she goes
to espy her departed consort
Upon the the stained field
with battle blade in his hand
Each is not her beloved husband
as she goes to them one by one
Each stranger or friend's face
renews her hopes for his life
A voice she hears behind her
she turns as it calls her name
A familiar form approaches her
It is him, bloodied but alive
She turns and starts towards him
her gown tearing on the strewn steel
she ignores it as she races to him
falling into his arms she holds him tight
Grateful tears fall from her eyes
as in a death grip they hold each other
into his strong arms he sweeps her up
carrying her off to hearth and home
© Eric Wolfsbane
Heathen
Poetry Corner on
NYMAS
(New York Metro Asatru Society)
Image: "Helgi, Svava and Sigar" (detail); anyone know the artist ?