blotgodi raven bowl (2017)

down dropped said rainbow black bird 

wind-wand willed corn of the new world 

drooping off limb roost, the mountain lava cool beneath 

a kingpost more lonely for the company surrounding nine daughters

easily scared into a knotnut self planting wodan planted mind:

                          "healing, death, royalty, the gallows, 

            knowledge, battle, sorcery, poetry, frenzy

  Goði hrafnblóts, Goði of the Raven-offering

  ravenous redbloodhaired bloody hoofed steed of freyr

                             Blóðughadda "                                                                                 

bloggod his finger fires sent to nine twig-soul drenched 

hunted spiders born dust hungry for

felling planets on a droll tragic peck,

wavemaiden winds stirring flesh filled spy birds 

beyond speech

frothing pitching bellowing cooling

an arm of ygdrassil rent sullen

with nerves oil stripped

jotuun woodpeckers no spring sprite

nor four stag defenses may temper 

if huggin or muinnin don't fetch

rainbow root bridge a canal for stars to meander 

under navels of spring-cradles 

hidden if flowers yet dragon guarded

filled in feathered snakes of rills rushing uphill silvered blue

trunk twigs trash woden chips feeding sun 

fire song under spells raven eyed close

haunting thickets each former strength

bearlike attended

heart of hammer mallet sound wind lightning spear

veins ripped farms burnt wells poisoned 

spoils dehumanized

seeds vaulted over bloodhooved boars or cossacks with falcons

battle seeking shadow sinister eight legged ministers

wodan crushes village grave fury 

spilling human wine over oceans fierce

ancient gravity hurls godan along dog god good blood fort forests

skald rib lungs riven 

drug over hideous razor rocked silence

unmasked in lacerated paint burnt wood oils flower dregs soil riches

elk fed well slept guarded by hounds

lions nine dragonmaids three chambers

good gold god bold blood bloomed quartered spring warriors

phlox or aster or ladylace or dartknee or falling giant

stone burrows fed naked in rain 

eleven ghost charms element chained

trance blotgodi priestess gallow cleansing nine arrows hurt sent

to track deemed demons donning broken tooth false hornet hate

ear pinched eye punched gut 

blasted ankle shattered lung twisted throat split

past opened from greed hovels raven managed feasting on republics horror

                   giant mounds godan odin wodan wooden

 eagles scratched time over night waters pegged tied in green leather

from feral stallions zeus drove once

before valleys of cohorts

before granite or feldspar or coal dripped

in olive oil merchant perfume

whale parts our doorframes planets cousins company 

pulling leviathons onto marble yet liquid 

in a storm birthing circle

*                           *                          *

a circle punctuated by the eye of white willow's

sweeping charm

eight hundred miles wide drinking oceans flattening mountains

for meal is ground of bone beneath our thoughts,

a field of sky raised horses placid there in the hold of ships

rearing over waves mirrored in helm's raven watch

summoned of owl scat crushings star-sent 

wind was wand willed that no blot blood spilled




5-23-17 portland