Beneath Star Flowers

 by Alfgeir Starkhendr

(The first 30 or so lines of this poem came from a dream in which Freyja let me experience Her memory of the first time She and Her Twin Brother Freyr made love in Their youth, in the woods of Vanaheim where She was gathering strawberries--Alfgeir Starkhendr, aka Bill the Witch Doctor)

Freya6Thou camest upon Me as I lay asleep
Beneath the green boughs and blooms white as stars
Strawberry-stained, Mine hands o’er Mine eyes,
In the morning of the world.

I dreamt that drew nigh a Love dear and deep
To My bower, well-warded by the wood
With færie-green fires tree-woven about.
Though quiet and hidden to all eyes and ears,
Thine Own heart betrayed Thee, its beat surely felt
By Mine Own, marking well My true Twin.
Waiting and thrilling to think of such hunt—
So wanting was I for Our Oneness long-lost,
With My Soul full of wonder, I woke
To spy Thy twelve tines through the trees.

But swift as the feathered arrow’s flight
Thou didst leap through the flickering flames
And wast upon Me, Thy mouth upon Mine—
I could not cry out for Thy kisses,
Though I cried tears of joy for Thy strength.

‘Twas more than I’d hoped in Mine hungering heart
That at last did Thy lust fill my longing!
To feel Thine hands flowing o’er trembling flesh—
Raising storms from My most unstill breasts,
Shaking limbs free from all halting fears
Until lingered only My love for Thy touch—
Thy need-fire hot on My mound of might.

In all hides did I wish to behold Thine heart;
In all wights to know Thy wild need—
As I quivered beneath Thy kiss and caress
My shape changed in challenge to chase.

As an Hind red and wily I ran through the wood
Until Holy Behooved, Thou didst course me to holt,
And so caught did I cleave to Thee closely—
Atheling-antlered didst ride Me in rut.
As a sooty-black Sow did I seek a dark dell
Before Thou as brave Boar bore Me down—
Between root and rock We roughly did grunt
For the gladness We gave and We got.
As a snow-bright Bitch did I hie to the heights
Where as Wolf Thou didst bring Me to bay—
From mountains We howled Our love to the Moon
Ere Thy dawn lit the dew in My dale.

O’er fields and folds didst Thou follow Me hard
And as Mare did I love Thy might.
O’er windblown waves Thou didst plough My deep ways
As Thy longship I lovingly rocked.
More than as Hawk I love the hunt,
More than My wing the wind beneath,
More than lodestone the light of Hlyrnir on high
Do I love Thee, pierced through by Thy joy.

I am as a Tree mirrored in Thy mere,
Sighing Mine harpsong in Thy windsoft hands;
Thy sweetness feedeth My love at its roots
As I reach for Thy rays and Thy rain.

No longer am I the young girl of Yule,
But fully made Freyja beneath Thy bright strength—
So glad am I to have given to Thee,
O heart of Mine heart, My first flower of love!
Thus tenderly twined, My Twin to Me taken,
Thou hast kindled My torch from Thy kin-kept flame—
Twin-tongued are the fires of Our hearts!

No longer art Thou but a lad among Alfs,
But fully made Freyr on Mine harrow of love—
Thy lyke to My love would as limbs in longing
Be burned in the beauty of Gullveig’s glow.
Our red honey of love runneth hot and sweet,
As in one vessel floweth—Our vows no words need
That none closer may come in love’s cleaving.

Ne’er will I forsake Thee, My Frodhi, My Freyr—
I handfast Thee here, the star-flowers beneath:
Wound around is Our glory with garlands of white,
Green fire leaping to each bloom and bough.
Wed are We in the wildwood of Our youth:
The God of the World come to Vana-Bride bright;
Most Beloved of All to the Lady of Love.
Welling up from roots dark-sunk in Souls made One,
Light and laughter do hallow Our hearts—
Sweet and swollen with love is the world!

Enfold Me within Thy spell spun of love,
Whose light shineth knowing neither shame nor lie,
But only that most holy and hidden joy
Making happy and whole Mine heart.
I enfold Thee within My tender touch,
Kissing Thee hotly in hunger for life;
My breath blowing Thy body ablaze—
Be as wax to My wild love’s wick!

I search within Thine eyes and see
Mine Own beaming bright before Me—
My shining light shown back and shared.
I hark to Thine heart and hear
Mine Own to Thine joined, wholly in joy,
Beating wildness as One to the world.
I look upon Thy lyke and learn
Mine Own loveliness manfully mirrored,
Fairest of every face and form.
In Our holy love laughing and free,
The world doth make love to the World.

Long-hidden Leek, spring up straight and strong,
Brought forth to bursting by life’s fire burning;
From each fen and grove now flareth green flame
As the worlds bloom, betrothed to beauty.
All souls in life seek this Mysterious Fire
That, once beheld, may ne’er be forgot:
Fluttering close around Our flickering kiss,
Draw nigh those who burn truly to know
And are blessed in the bliss of Our burning.

None but We can know of such love;
No two hearts can be One as are Ours;
In no eye but Our Own may such beauty be held
And shine back in sharing so sure.
Become for Me, Brother, once more in Me show
Thy Mystery of Love in My Soul,
And I will answer Thee aye and again—
Leave Thee burning with My lust for life!
Come, O My Brother, within Me once more
And I’ll shine with Thy joy forever;
Come, My Beloved, again in Mine arms—
Ne’er more will Our Souls be so sundered.
Give Thyself in the glory of this glade,
Let Us mingle once more in Our hearts’ deepest dance—
The world given wholly to love,
And love singing in every soul.

Artwork by Andre Kosslick.