‘Edenbray in Exile’
A Retrospective Anthology of Poetry, Articles and Essays
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The Hringhorni
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I missed the holocaust but not too late for Al Qaeda’s fate
The misery of the human condition travels on a broken wing
A grey-brown sparrow fluttering briefly to avoid cats palm
Rescued from its pain by the skill of a bloodied hawks jaw
♠♤
Two brothers slept that night on a straw palias or a minks pelt
Father John heard the tail of one whilst t’other lay with a counts virgin
The story so full of deceit that the iron priest blushed blood
And was said to stay up half the night, wrestling the angel
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The soldier wearied, covered his eyes, his earliest friend fallen
He counted his loyalty and weighed it golden in the balances
If justice had any remorse they would still journey on together
Have eaten at the table of life, imbibed Lancelot’s promise and fury
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The bears duty, two cubs washed in milk saw the avalanche approaching
The smaller watched the mountain leaning, neither borrowed expectations
Grisly and grey he now writes natures tales so earnest and sorry
The larger, buried in the August snow n’er tasted nectar with a honey paw
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‘Similitude’ – the dancers pale dress so faint and brief holds a soft breast
They rise and fall, the troubadour a gallant Danseur, he dressed only in awe and esteem
Who lifts her like lilies on a flowered bough where only death they may greet so cold
The comparison of beauty is a silver mirror where pass the Hringhorni triumphal
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writtenbyedenbray13.09.2012
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#Authors Note – This one is a puzzle and no mistake – I have always been interested in Norsk mythology and of course ‘The HRINGHORNI’ – ‘the greatest of all ships’ was the name given to the funeral ship of Baldr – the god of light, joy, purity, and the summer sun in Norse mythology, and a son of the god Odin and the goddess Frigg. He is the father of Forseti, and he has numerous brothers, such as Thor and Váli.
This ship carries a tale or two within its ancient beams – as does this fairly challenging piece I wrote in 2012 – a veritable fusion of spiritual symbolism, heroic mythology alongside purest human sentiment and the rawest emotion. I have included it in this my latest Anthology for those very same varied reasons and because I love that it explores myth, fact, history, reality and death.
As my literary counsel and most penetrating critic – Jessica Renea – once wrote of it at the time that it was originally published – ‘Interesting draw between the ship of the god and the seaside funeral for bin laden. As well your words are almost a celebration of the orgasmic release death gives us all.’
Death is certainly most uppermost in our minds right now as the death-toll includes so many respected and elderly members of both local and Global-communities and societies reaching unprecedented and unholy numbers, due to the unrelenting horror of the Covid-19 pandemic.
May our honoured dead be carried to Valhalla upon this Ancient Vessel and take their rest in peace.
edenbraytoday01.04.2020
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edenbray ☢︎ - a BEAT POET 