A 5th-century fight on a Wessex shore
Wearing my wulfskin from my father’s grave
At the battlefield edge, I stood
Mine ancestor’s battle cry filled my ears
My arms felt strong as I stared at my foe
I had no fear but nor was I brave
Bravery is for mere men and their whims
I am more than a man now
As Woden is my witness my light will not dim
I focus on his standard with my one eye closed
The wind blows, the drum beats & the nearby waves crash,
Aye, but it is Grim
The mortals across the field screamed & beat their shield
To my mind’s eye, they were but sheep a squealing
Before me, stood my grandfather and his banner men
His eyes bright, not sad as they were in life
The Elves told me not to yield
They looked as they did to a child that was I
When they left for war and never returned years ago
I called for Woden to witness my deeds upon this field
My arms and legs felt boneless and light
Axe, twas a feather in my hands
As wulf and I became one, once more
My ‘self’ was now a faded dream & out of sight
The spit dripped off my teeth
Like the blood of my prey will taste this night
In a flash of time, I looked into the eyes of my foe
Across the field and upon them, I was
I cleaved at all the foreign men before me & struck them so
Many lay there put to sleep who were somebody’s countrymen
The frosty ground beneath me slickened with the blood of the dead
I stepped on a soldier who looked up and said careful where ye tread!
My growl vibrated through my teeth in a deafening roar
To my ears surprise it was the name “WODEN!!!!!” that I yelled
The wulfs roar was not for the ears of men.
As mine axe snapped on a foreigners head, he lived no more
He laid their smitten in battle with nothing to show above his shoulders
Mine axe a sunder, I bore the enemies spear forth to the fight.
Looking up in shock with a man's eyes for the first time
So many lay there dead upon the shore
There I stood, as a man once again
All around me, men cried Woden’s name in cheer!
I looked behind me and to the side, as my own men looked at me in fear
Out of all the bloodied flesh a sunder, none were to be my match this day
I dropped to my knees, arms dead & as heavy as iron
A horn beaked raven stared at the feast which made him sway.
I looked at his eyes and asked him to tell Woden of me
That I may he replied, that I may……..
