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