Mona – the love of my life.
1954-2016
An ash I know,
Yggdrasil its name,
With water white
is the great tree wet;
Thence come the dews
that fall in the dales,
Forever green it grows
by the well of Urd.
From there comes maidens
mighty in wisdom,
Three from the dwelling
down beneath the tree;
Urd is one named,
Verdandi the next,
On wood they carved,
the name and Skuld the third.
Laws they made there,
and life allotted
to the children of humans,
the fate of humanity.
She saw Valkyries
approaching from afar,
Ready to ride
to the ranks of Godtjod;
Skuld carried shield,
and Skogul rode next,
Gunn, Hild, Gondul,
and Geirskogul.
Now Herjan’s maidens
the list have ye heard,
Valkyries ready
to ride on the earth.
The sun turns black,
earth sinks in the sea,
Flaming stars down
from heaven falls;
Fierce grows the steam
and the life-feeding flame,
Till fire leaps high
about heaven itself.
Now she can see
the earth anew
Rise all green
from the sea again;
Water falls,
and the eagle flies,
And fish he catches
beneath the cliffs.
A better burden
may no one carry
than lots of wisdom.
It is better than gold
when traveling on unknown ways,
And in grief a refuge it gives.
Only one knows
that have traveled wide
and afar
what manner of mind
that guides us all.
She knows the wealth of wisdom.
Fire is best
for children of humans
And power to see the sun;
good is health
if one can keep it,
and to live a life without shame.
Not bereft of all
is she who is ill,
some are blessed with children,
some with kin
some with wealth,
and some with well done work.
Cattle die,
kindred die,
Everyone is mortal:
But the good name
never dies
of she who has done good deeds.
I tell you, Loddfafnir,
and my advise you should receive;
You will benefit, if you follow,
it will be of good use
If you fain wouldst win
a woman’s love,
And happiness get from her,
Fair be thy promise
and well fulfilled;
One is happy
for what good one gets.
The powerful songs I know
that king’s wives don’t know,
Nor men that are sons of men;
The first is called help,
and help it can bring thee
In sorrow and pain
and all suffering.
Hail to the Asir!
Hail to the Asynjas!
Hail to the beautiful earth!
Words and wisdom
give to us all,
and healing hands
for as long as we live.
(an attempt to translate a selection of verses from the Poetic Edda)
Mikael Fernstrom 