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Beneath the World Tree
- Beneath the World Tree -
A Modern Retelling of an Ancient Norse Myth
Part One: The Pool of Destiny
In the jungle 'neath the World Tree's lofty canopy,
A man and a woman gazed into a shimmering pool.
The man believed he could see much of his destiny,
Whilst the woman saw nothing, thinking him a fool.
And so the man closed his eyes, not looking again,
Whilst the woman gazed deep into the cool water.
She saw men and women, each the other's friend,
But both were as lonely as any childless daughter.
Having known pain before, she wanted it no more,
Not knowing that love without pain was so near...
And so she left the pool by the World Tree's core,
Not seeing that the man was crying a single tear.
Part Two: The Serpent's Words
In time, the serpent that gnaws the tree came by,
And asked the man why he wept in such solitude.
The man saw the serpent below that green sky...
And welcomed its' company, not once being rude.
He told the beast that no one ever loved him true,
Despite that all he saw in the pool was his desire.
It was wrapped in a vision, from out of the blue...
And wreathed in sensations that burned like fire.
The serpent was wise, and told the man honestly,
That the pool only showed what was wanted most.
But that the images might not be true as can be,
Soon come, then gone, like some half-seen ghost.
Part Three: The Power of a God
And so, the man now stood before the tree's root,
Whereon rested all the nine worlds in their glory.
The man bade the serpent to bite and to pollute,
That tree, which created the pool's every story...
And so the pool gave it's deceptions never again,
As the World Tree sacrificed itself to divine whim.
Loki was the man's name, and so eager to begin,
The end of time was he, to ease his pain within!
At last the World Tree began to crash down fast,
Bringing the nine worlds close to the final hour...
Loki, god of mischief, in order to forget the past,
Brought about Ragnarok with a serpent's power.
Part Four: The Sorrow of Loki
Men say this deed was born of hate for Asgard,
The world where the gods lived eternally so fair.
For Loki was treated as an outsider in that yard,
And in his loneliness, he sought wisdom so rare!
Once had Odin, king of the gods, gone thereon...
To the pool: beneath the World Tree's branches.
For wisdom to prevent the end of his kingdom...
He gave an eye to the pool for second chances.
But Odin was tricked, for he saw only his dream,
For an eternal kingdom that would gilded gleam.
It lasted for only a brief time, 'ere Loki's sorrow,
Arose to make an end to time, on that morrow.
A Modern Retelling of an Ancient Norse Myth
Part One: The Pool of Destiny
In the jungle 'neath the World Tree's lofty canopy,
A man and a woman gazed into a shimmering pool.
The man believed he could see much of his destiny,
Whilst the woman saw nothing, thinking him a fool.
And so the man closed his eyes, not looking again,
Whilst the woman gazed deep into the cool water.
She saw men and women, each the other's friend,
But both were as lonely as any childless daughter.
Having known pain before, she wanted it no more,
Not knowing that love without pain was so near...
And so she left the pool by the World Tree's core,
Not seeing that the man was crying a single tear.
Part Two: The Serpent's Words
In time, the serpent that gnaws the tree came by,
And asked the man why he wept in such solitude.
The man saw the serpent below that green sky...
And welcomed its' company, not once being rude.
He told the beast that no one ever loved him true,
Despite that all he saw in the pool was his desire.
It was wrapped in a vision, from out of the blue...
And wreathed in sensations that burned like fire.
The serpent was wise, and told the man honestly,
That the pool only showed what was wanted most.
But that the images might not be true as can be,
Soon come, then gone, like some half-seen ghost.
Part Three: The Power of a God
And so, the man now stood before the tree's root,
Whereon rested all the nine worlds in their glory.
The man bade the serpent to bite and to pollute,
That tree, which created the pool's every story...
And so the pool gave it's deceptions never again,
As the World Tree sacrificed itself to divine whim.
Loki was the man's name, and so eager to begin,
The end of time was he, to ease his pain within!
At last the World Tree began to crash down fast,
Bringing the nine worlds close to the final hour...
Loki, god of mischief, in order to forget the past,
Brought about Ragnarok with a serpent's power.
Part Four: The Sorrow of Loki
Men say this deed was born of hate for Asgard,
The world where the gods lived eternally so fair.
For Loki was treated as an outsider in that yard,
And in his loneliness, he sought wisdom so rare!
Once had Odin, king of the gods, gone thereon...
To the pool: beneath the World Tree's branches.
For wisdom to prevent the end of his kingdom...
He gave an eye to the pool for second chances.
But Odin was tricked, for he saw only his dream,
For an eternal kingdom that would gilded gleam.
It lasted for only a brief time, 'ere Loki's sorrow,
Arose to make an end to time, on that morrow.
Published 4th Nov 2011
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