Tuesday, January 31, 2012

'You, Our Father Odin' by Renée Vivien (1907)


'You, Our Father Odin'

Translated by Richard J. Vaako AOR (Brittany, France)


Winter wind rushes bold and strong
As well as Vikings in their noble wrath
Storm had blown on the age-old pine trees
And floods dashed… Come, my Norse’s Gods!

Your eyes had reflection of the boreal blades
For you abysses are easy trails
And you’re tall and slender like silver pines
O masters of the twin colds and of loyal races!

My Norse Gods daring and golden-blond, awake you
From your long asleep in the highest snows
And make resound your calls on all of the plains
Where at evening’s extended the howling of wolves

Come, my Norse Gods with hardened faces
You, our father Odin – You, Freyja
With fairy hair full of scent – You, valorous Thor
You, headstrong Frigga, and all of you my Valkyries!

Listen to me my Gods, such as clear mornings:
I’m the daughter of your venerable Skalds
From those who stood around tables to sing and praise you
Where Heroes drank the mead of the feasts

Come my mighty Gods because our winter is near
We’ll laugh along with the joyous hurricanes
We’ll cut down the oak spared by years
And mountains will rattle up to their heart of stone

We’ll settle our triumphant feet on the large seas
We’ll gladden along with the dance of the waves
For us – undefined shapes, mists will come to life
And for us will bright the streaks of the lightning be

Seagulls will call toward us and toward the thunder
We’ll bring in the palm of our hands…
Now here we’re hearing the powerful fighters
And the screams of the defeated on pale shore

Here my Gods you’re laughing like you did in olden days
And the eagle is wheeling above his eyrie
We had broke out and loose the hounds of thunder
And the cliffs have recognized our voices

Space will listen to our fierce music
And the outraged heavens will bend under our strain…
Come to me, who is waiting for you, my Norse’s Gods!
I am the daughter of your heroic Skalds…

~ Renée Vivien ~


Renée Vivien, born Pauline Mary Tarn on June 11 of 1877 in London, died November 18 of 1909 in Paris. She was a poetess of the early twentieth century Paris trend.


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I think Renée Vivien proves that a woman can be a lesbian, a cosmopolitan, as well as a person of great wealth, and still have a spiritually folkish heart. She was a native believer to remember.

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