Nidavellir: ‘ Darkness and Gold’ 1/4′ The Nine Realms- Poems and Writing

As fresh from the press, from #theninerealms’ project curator Nicky Mortlock c/o ArtiPeeps

ArtiPeeps

19 poets, 22 Artists, 3 musicians and a Viking Boat

The Nine Realms

9 months, 19 poets and writers, 22 Artists, 3 composers, 1 Viking boat: a magical reworking of Norse Mythology for contemporary audiences

Poems and Writing inspired by the Norse realm of Nidavellir (The Realm of the Dwarves)

Featuring:

Joanna Lee, John Mansell, Nat Hall

the secret and impalpable things of the world

by Joanna Lee

.

strength has no purchase here,
in the dark places
where ribbons of the secret
and impalpable things of the world
are forged from stony,
sunless wrists
to catch a moon-
snatcher

by the heart, the chain.

he would slay the best of them,
she said, so slaver-
dripped fingers fish
for breath of cat moving,
the noise of mountain roots.
even a god will lose a hand
to feed a wolf
and bind him.

.

 .

Fenrir

Nidavellir

by John Mansell

View original post 288 more words

together

Here,
as gales gradually sweep away the harshness of winter, and birds begin to fill our sky with slightly bolder songs, a poem of love 🙂

Together

Now come undone.

Into
the garden
they gathered,
in between branches and
dawn’s pearls, as
blue dominated their
world, and
blackbirds dreamt
deep in ivy;

Asleep
they fell on satin
leaves,
as sunrise
burnt their game of
lust,
entangled in
jet black
iris
that
fell to prey,
pleasure & dust…

As furtive as dawn may vanish,
they will nestle in secret
leaves,
feel
warmth from an
afternoon
sun,
flutter
along sweet
summer breeze,
in an orchard charged with
apples, cherries & love.

© Nat Hall 2015

Giants

A poem in anticipation to spring tides 🙂

Earth Giants

Tell me the story of the stone.

Behind each
rock stands a giant.

Old Man of Storr has a brother
on an island North by
North East,
lost
in
darkness
most of winter,
who
answers to
Old Man of Hoy –

Ancient headlands
now separated
by a shore;
how do they
grow is a mystery
only water carves deep in
time…

And if you
obey your compass,

you will
enter the dragon’s
den & face its
teeth,
polished by
sleek North Atlantic & ballroom
moon laced inside
tides;
salt,
satin sari
Nordic style.

They are immobile
travellers in
the face
of
seafaring stars.

© Nat Hall 2015

stirring

Les prémices
(Early Stirrings)

It
has
begun.

Earthly
murmurs,
February in 2 digits,
that’s when town birds begin to
sing –
twenty
past nine,
sparrows engage in
real chatter,
starlings
gather at the
gutter to yarn & sip from
last night’s rain…
Echoing gulls round
Bressay Sound
call to a sky
made
of
graphite
inside a world of
statistics,
like his pencil on
plain paper.

© Nat Hall 2015

Vikings Ahoy! : Here’s The Nine Realms Collaboration Logo

ArtiPeeps

Our logo for our The Nine Realmsproject has finally been designed and completed by illustrator and graphic designerGary Caldwell.  

Here it is:

.

The logo is based on the Yggasdril Tree which is central to Norse Mythology and their myths of cosmology. All the nine realms come off the tree. The realms are represented by the different coloured balls within the tree (including the main one). This logo will be used on all our promotional material.

We have decided to call the event in Hanse House in September an ‘experience’ rather than an exhibition. This is for 3 reasons: 1. because of the high levels of participation and interaction there will be with attendees and pupils (at our schools’ day); 2. because we want to move attendees away from merely attending to active participation and 3. because we want to take attendees on a the magical…

View original post 66 more words

Jotunheim: ‘ Strength & Might’ 2/4′ The Nine Realms- Poems and Writing

ArtiPeeps

The Nine Realms

9 months, 22 poets and writers, 22 Artists, 3 composers, 1 Viking boat: a magical reworking of Norse Mythology for contemporary audiences

Poems and Writing inspired by the Norse realm of  Jotunheim

Featuring:

Jim C. Mackintosh, Eleanor Perry and Nat Hall

The Bauble

by Jim C. Mackintosh

.

To know the knowing’s beyond now
Deeds not thought and words yet spoken,
What price to sooth the furrowed brow?
Of vows past, and bargains broken;
Reminders fused on blunt shoulders
Guarding wisdom’s depths with boulders 
Of questions, tricks and consequence
To trap the fears of men; not God sense
The cowardly grasp of fickle fate
Vague shadows of futures cast
Trusting elements of the past
Diamond sighted hostages late
Amongst the debris of battles torn
From the victor’s off-spring never born.
 
Mimir, knower of things beyond
By root, where the Well ripples deep,
Waiting for the one…

View original post 441 more words

whiteout

On the third day of February, whiteworld (tainted slight blue) has arrived in our land. It is both harsh & majestic, with sub-Arctic temperatures.
Yet so serene. Snowflakes yielding to gravity in their perfect lightness & symmetry. They nearly fall horizontal.
Here, in the background, I hear music very gentle, 50 Words For Snow – it feels so comforting.
Outside, my world battles against the elements, claws & fangs from February’s wolverine spirit.
It is snowing again.

Brigid’s Day

From fellow writer & blog friend, Jane Dougherty – thinking alike 🙂

Jane Dougherty Writes

Tradition honours this time of year, the mid point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, with a feast. The crone months are behind us and we look forward to the spring. The ewes are giving milk and we will not starve. Okay, the local supermarket is always well-stocked whatever the ewes are about, and the poor beasts in factory farms give meat and milk whatever the season. But it is still salutory to remember that there was a time when the changes in the seasons mattered, and when we looked to the snowfall for other reasons than to decide which ski resort to choose.

This is my thought for this day of Imolc, a short piece dedicated to Brigid.

Brigid looked down from the hill at the snow thick in the vales, and the dark woods where wolves stalked. Her cloak, full of the fire of the sun…

View original post 320 more words

fluttering

nordicblackbird / the roost is updated 🙂 Go check it out!