The Riddle Of Ratatosk Poem by Steve Trimmer

The Riddle Of Ratatosk



Ratatosk the Squirrel
I say to thee my friend
The maelstrom how it whirls
Haunting swirls from end on end

From south to north
An’ north to south
Bringeth thee; The Message
The Word of mouth

The World Tree Ash
Yggdrasil; The Shrine
Hung Odin (how rash!)
To gain Runes, for humankind

Ratatosk; didst thou bear witness to these events?
Knoweth I of thine attendance there (place where Odin rideth upon ‘s horse)
Scurrying……… scurrying; up an’ down
down an’ up…………..

On shortest day, upon Yggdrasil’s tree top
The Eagle speaketh unto thee
The Golden Child is thus reborn
From bruise rendered to ‘s father’s pate
Scurrying, scurrying………………up an’ down
down an’ up

Didst thou not grange nuts for the Hibernal spell?
Acorns at this Oak Moon takes thee (breath of new life)
Seedlings of The Oak, seedlings of The Oak (hearken us purpled thundering of Thor)
Nary a fear, nary a fear

On longest day, at Yggdrasil’s tripled roots
The Dragon, Nithogg, speaketh unto thee;
Where root extends to Niflheim by well of Hvergelmir (a pool o’ profundity such) :

Past The Dragon doth thee go
To second realm so found below
In Jotunnheim, at well of Mimir
Is source o’ wisdom, thine eyes now cleared



With wise waters on thy lips
To third root realm so ye doth zip
Scurrying on to realm of Asgard………Where Norns preserve the roots they guard
They ward decay with the Urtharbrunn Well……………. blessed be dear Lady Hel

The Oak King meets his law-day (spear in heel)
Scurrying, scurrying…………….
Grange thee the nuts for Odin’s Summer spell
Holly acorns proffered to Runic Skalds at ascent of this Mead Moon
Seedlings of the libertine wise (prepare thee for Mercurial rise)
Valkyries, twelve, at Odin’s side

So, do tell, Ratatosk who chatters;

Is Valhalla at Yggdrasil’s top?
Where eagles nest and eaglets hop
Or is Valhalla at Yggdrasil’s roots?
Where Dragon-Nidhog remaineth non-suite……….for the nonce at least?

Valhalla…….hmmm….hall of the slain?
Will Freya rise an’ live again?
Mansion of Asgard……..built in Wagner’s Ring
By Giants; paid to appease………… a surly-minded king?
So whom, my beauteous, wouldst Odin serve?
To answer; “the king”, seems so absurd

Forsooth, the question still remains
Where be Valhalla’s true domain?
If thou art true to Vanir Code
One can locate the real abode (hark, methought it the raven-song hears I)

The Aesir tether the Odin King
Forcing him to serve an’ sing
Yet sing he won’t of Vanir rites
Exclusive to The Skalds of night
Fruits o’ Runic Wise reveal
Why Sowulo’s child wert speared in heal (a riddle; unmitigable, yet just)
……………………………….Runes shalt nary-a-sound false peal (listen with heart and naught of mind; a lulling song from womankind; the runes an’ tunes for heart un-swoon……..heh……….heh…alack! I say………………

Ratatosk, I knoweth the answer thus
I see now why thou makes such fuss
Distracting those who flout The Queen
To keepeth secret; in Ash between ……………ah! How now Ratatosk?

Within this Tree, The Runes be stored
In hollow place which fools abhor
So Odin hangs off limb by foot
To look inside Ratatosk’s nook

……….Ratatosk looks well into mine eyes
She ceases chatter, an’ smiles with pride
She says; “Dear child, thou canst be fooled
For thou hast figured out the rules”

She says; “Look up, thy foot is bound
To the westbound branch ‘twixt Sky and Ground
Valkyries of Hel, rule Valhalla here
My hollowed, hallowed portal, thou hast found……………………… my Odin dear”

Steve Trimmer

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Steve Trimmer

Steve Trimmer

Manitoulin Island, Ontario
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