Thor, the Norse God of Thunder, had a hammer named Mjölnir. Mjölnir was considered a fierce weapon that could level mountains and summon lightning with every blow. In this poetry blog, every Thursday, (Thor’s Day), Mjölnir will forge only song - sing of the mysteries and beauties of the world.

Thursday, September 6, 2012


THE ARCHIVIST

There was chanting and drumming,
the unearthly earthly drone of the didgeridoo,
rattles hissing their little hymns.
There was the dancing,
the bare feet on the hard-wood floor,
jangling belt-wear,
eyes opening, eyes closing,
crow calls, growlings,
the questions, the tears, the listening,
the stories rising from the marrow,
and the yes and, yes and, yes and,
a mantra that surprised us and made us smile,
the dreams and the healings. 

All this, all this,
that spirited through the house,
and the sirens outside,
the chittering hummingbirds,
the squealing children,
the engine hacking up the hill,
all joined to the leader,
and with the carded wool,
were wound around the spindle clockwise
by the women in the corner in white,
the whorl on top looking like a medicine root—
her nimble fingers teasing the tiny clouds into fibers
her lips, her tongue, her spittle dampened
so the thread would twist into yarn,
stable and sure.

The day and all it textures and voices,
gestures small and large,
held to the stick 
like a hive to a branch.
And all around this eddy of silent subtle action,
this ancient work,
was the silver hair of the woman in white,
that moved as she rocked
like mist through the trees.

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