Woden softly whispers
Skadi’s snow does call
Sanity and safety
Will not long hold me thrall
Somewhere in the darkness
Deep within the wood
The wild hunt is stirring
The wolf in me does call
Spear on seat beside me
I weave up to the mountain
From rain and snow in lowlands
To snow and ice at height
There within the forest
I let the madness slip
Throw off law and order
Sanity and speech
Clothes I leave behind me
Barefoot in the snow
Wearing naught but fury
And the war-spear in my fist
Deep into the forest,
Far from electric light
I dance within the darkness
To the pounding of the blood
The battle-glad does call me
The wild hunt does call
Skin burns like new drunk whiskey
Limbs numb as night-long drunk
Snow in silence shields my steps
Night my white limbs cloak
Madness makes me lightning swift
Age cast off with clothes
Moving shadow paces me
Spirit or illusion thought
‘till crash of shattered undergrowth
Branded bear my running mate
Side by side we raced the night
Leaping undergrowth and log
Deer flew from our snarling race
And the thunder of our blood
At last I came to forest edge
War-spear in my fist
Clothes and sanity await
My life at end of chase
Stumble now to don my clothes
My fury strength now fled
Down from the mountain I must go
Laughing to myself
Somewhere out there rides the hunt
Somewhere Woden calls
Peaceful is my soul this morn
Who danced in Woden’s night
John T Mainer
