Thunder pain, rain blood
Odin dries the Norsemen's tears
To suffer the land he loves.
The sea be his life for the land thin,
Stretching over rock, sining through sand.
Sons sacrificed: brave warrior, or common thief
He holds to his blood and his life--the Sea.
Back again to land, home and kin
To watch over woman's blood.

Blood be rain, thunder pain,
Lo! There Odin watches,
While Thor delivers the thunder
The life-quickening rains.
If in life where one stands be only Luck
Then, if there be no Luck with you,
Best when born--you be hurled
Into the fjord--into the sea.

When I was born--Where I was born
Nei, never was I asked, never was it up to me.
Here, be I, speaking of Odin,
Speaking of Thor, speaking of Luck
And prankster god Loki.
It is all I know, I am of woman's blood.
I'm a Norse woman--I know no other to believe!

Linda Newton-Perry