The Creation Of The Cosmos

1. Here begins the first of nine,

books made for a wizard's mind.

This book does some tales bear,

which will show you with much care,

good morals and deep truths too.

learn them oh so well must you.

Once there was but empty space.

Flame and ice o'er it did face.

Toward each other they did creep,

until they did in time meet.

2. Then there sprouted a tree fine.

Its limbs formed the worlds nine.

Muspelheim grew from one root,

land of fire, sparks and soot.

Helheim grew from the next root,

where all those who die are put.

Niflheim from the next grew,

from whence all are born anew,

land of darkness, ice and cold,

from whence all are born we're told.

3. One branch became Svartalfheim,

land of Dark Elves of old time.

They are dead men who do work,

building all that grows on earth.

One became Ljosalfheim,

land of the light elves so fine.

They're dead men who help us reach,

the lessons the gods do teach.

More live in those lands as well.

Of them you will soon here tell.

4. The Disir are dead women,

who welcome the Dark Elves in,

to Svartalfheim when it's time,

for them to go to Helheim.

Valkyries, dead women who,

welcome the dead who are true,

to the gods and their virtues,

and to their own people too,

live in those lands just as well.

Of that there is more to tell.

5. Those who would be born again,

as good noble moral men,

the Valkyries do take to,

Valhalla which Odin rules.

Odin trains them to well face,

manly struggles for their race,

that great heroes they may be,

when they are reborn you see.

As the Light Elves they appear,

to all who do hold them dear.

6. More I also have to tell,

of those who in Helheim dwell.

Those who would be born again,

as good virtuous women,

the Valkyries do take to,

Folkvangr which Freya rules.

Freya trains all those who would,

be reborn as women good,

to be virtuous and wise,

and not fall for evil lies.

7. They then are the Valkyries,

mothers of the Light Elves, see.

Praise be to the Valkyries,

also to the Light Elves please.

Faithful to the gods they fight,

and do suffer for what's right.

As for dead men who don't much,

care to be good, they as such,

become the Dark Elves you see,

and the women who indeed,

8. don't much care moral to be,

become the Disir truly.

What then is it that decides,

just where the dead do reside?

Those who to Freya you see,

are faithful do choose truly,

to go with the Valkyries,

so to learn moral to be.

The rest of the dead do go,

to Svartalfheim. That we know.

9. From the third branch, Midgard grew,

home of mankind it is true.

Those three branches did hang low,

yet three more up high did grow.

Jotunheim did grow from one,

home of Ymir's fearsome sons.

Another became Asgard,

home of the gods who work hard,

teaching us the virtues true,

which our ancestors once knew.

10. From the last branch on that tree,

there grew Vanaheim you see.

Vanaheim would be the home,

of gods whom we have long known,

the caretakers of that tree,

the gods of cosmology.

Those then are the limbs of nine,

which grew from that tree so fine.

MIghty Ymir, he then grew,

frightening he was it's true.

11. He was a Jotun it's known.

He made the whole tree his home.

More Jotnar grew from his sweat,

and I've more to tell you yet.

Many descendants he had,

and most of them were quite bad,

yet one of them was quite good,

and give life to man he would.

"Odin" that god was called he,

who would give life to man, see,

12. but the Jotnar ruled truly,

all the limbs of that great tree,

and they would not give a home,

to the gods or mankind's own.

Odin two brothers had he,

one was "Vili", one was "Ve".

Ymir those three they did slay,

in a dreadful fight one day.

His blood drowned all the Jotnar,

save two who did flee quite far,

13. a Jotun man and his wife,

who saved their lives from that strife.

In a hollow tree they rowed,

through Ymir's blood which much flowed,

to safety in Jotunheim,

that their descendants in time,

would destroy all the gods would,

create to care for man good.

From Ymir's corpse formed those three,

the nine worlds of that tree,

14. into homes for each and all,

who dwell in that tree so tall.

From an ash tree formed those three,

the first man. "Ask" was called he.

From an elm tree they then formed,

the woman from whom was born,

every single race of man,

born from a mortal most grand.

A Jotun had a daughter.

"Nott" was her own name for sure.

15. She became goddess of night,

her son god of each day's light.

"Dag" was the name of her son.

Each sunrise he awakened.

A mortal had children too,

son and daughter beautiful.

"Sunna" the daughter he named,

for her radiance was famed.

"Mani" he did call the son,

a most pale shining one.

16. Sunna Odin did let fly,

Dag's chariot o'er the sky,

drawn by a horse "Skinfaxi",

whose mane shines like gold you see.

Mani Odin gave the right,

to drive Nott's Chariot light,

drawn by a horse Hrymfaxi,

whose mane is old and icy.

o'er the sky throughout the night,

that all might still have some sight.

17. In the east two wolves were born,

"Skoll" and "Hati" one cold morn.

Dag's chariot Skoll does chase,

in an endless, desperate race.

Hati chases Nott's steed too,

o'er the night sky it is true.

When one chariot is caught,

on the earth the sun shines not.

When it breaks free, the sun shines,

on the earth with light so fine.

18. When Hati does catch his prey,

the moon's light does go away.

When Nott's chariot breaks free,

the moon's light returns you see.

Now there was a woman wise,

and one day she prophecied,

that the Jotnar would one day,

slay the gods and all they'd made.

"Ragnarok" was that day called,

a day which gave fear to all.

19. Therefore the gods Heimdall placed,

to watch for the Jotun race,

with a horn most loud and great,

which all who fear truth do hate.

Then the placed a rooster gold,

at the top of that tree old,

so that it would crow loudly,

when Ragnarok came to be.

In Niflheim a snake gnawed,

at that root which never thawed.

20. When it chewed through all the way,

Ragnarok would come they say.

Also a squirrel doth run,

up and down that tree, what fun!

It carries the words of hate,

which the squirrel and the snake,

always do trade to and fro,

for each is the other's foe.

Now Odin did make a seat,

in the top of that great tree,

21. so that he could magically,

see all in that great old tree.

Reviews

[FGFRANKLIN]

This reads like a introduction to Norse mythology. I recently watched a movie titled Ragnarok but not the one from the Thor series. I've seen that one too. But the other is about a dragon hidden in a cave that modern adventurers discover. It's filmed in Norway and Sweden and the cinematography is just jaw dropping. You've a lot going on in this. It's an interesting and esoteric piece.

[Chris Shaw]

This is an epic write. A considerable effort has gone into its making. From a reader’s point of view, it would have been easier to read if there had been some stanza breaks. Just a suggestion.

Chris

[ogirhsog]

Alright. I numbered the stanzas.

[Ruby]

it takes lots of patience to finish the entire poem