Writing Challenge :)

Mar 19

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So last spring when I was taking medieval studies course called “The Spiritual Senses,” we had to read a good bit of writing by 12th and 13th century mystics. One of them (and my favorite) was Mechthild of Magdeburg. In her book, she wrote this effusive poem for her God and i liked it so much I copied the form and write one for mine. I’ve shared it before, but I’m posting it here again. I’d love to see you guys take this form and write up similar paeans for your own Gods.

 

9 For Odin
We praise You, All Father, Architect of the Worlds, Who breathed us into being.
We praise You, Runatyr, World-maker, Whose keen far-seeing intellect wove the fabric of reality.
We praise You, Bolverk, for by cunning negotiation You brought us poetry and ecstasy.
We praise You, Oski, ever generous Giver of gifts, for You pour Your favors out upon Your people.
We praise You, Sigfather, for teaching us to ever strive for victory, for inspiring us with Your might.
We praise You, Woden, for sharing healing charms and the wisdom of driving out corruption.
We praise You, Galdrfather, for giving us the gift of enchantment, the continual re-sacralization of our world.
We praise You, Yggr, for Your sacrifice upon the Tree. by which You instructed us in wisdom.
We praise You, Odin, that You have elevated us by means of your nobility, driven us forward by means of Your attentions.

Oh Burning Brand.
Oh Self-Chosen Sacrifice.
Oh Sweet Wine of Ecstasy.
Oh Bottomless Well of Wisdom.
Oh unscalable, soaring Height.
Oh Fierceness without Measure.
Oh Might without Opposition.
Oh Treasure-House of every Honor.
Oh Hunger without Restraint.
Ever and always do Your people praise You.

About ganglerisgrove

Galina Krasskova has been a Heathen priest since 1995. She holds a Masters in Religious Studies (2009), a Masters in Medieval Studies (2019), has done extensive graduate work in Classics including teaching Latin, Roman History, and Greek and Roman Literature for the better part of a decade, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Theology. She is the managing editor of Walking the Worlds journal and has written over thirty books on Heathenry and Polytheism including "A Modern Guide to Heathenry" and "He is Frenzy: Collected Writings about Odin." In addition to her religious work, she is an accomplished artist who has shown all over the world and she currently runs a prayer card project available at wyrdcuriosities.etsy.com.

Posted on March 19, 2016, in Odin, Poetry, prayers, Uncategorized and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink. 8 Comments.

  1. ravenamber87 | March 19, 2016 at 12:53 PM

    I don’t understand much about poetry. What are the rules for this form? Is it to do 9 ‘we praise’ and 9 ‘oh’s?

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    • ganglerisgrove | March 19, 2016 at 1:54 PM

      I think it’s sort of in that liminal place between poetry and prayer. It was nine we praise and 9 ohs but if your god has a different sacred number, go with it (nine is Odin’s number so I kept that….i actually don’t recall if Mechthild also uses nine. I think she does).

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  2. ravenamber87 | March 19, 2016 at 3:06 PM

    Thank you 😊

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  3. cydira | March 20, 2016 at 1:04 AM

    i love Mechthild. you may also enjoy Hadewijch’s poems. the work that the Beguines produced was truly wonderful stuff.

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    • ganglerisgrove | March 20, 2016 at 1:09 AM

      we read Hadewijch as well and i…really found her quite vexing. She structures and filters the ecstasy of the divine experience too much for my taste. (though one of her visions was quite fascinating)

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