keeping watch
Some eleventh and twelfth century Scandanavian rune stones were established as memorials to family members.
The Bro rune stone in Uppland, Sweden, was raised by a wife, Ginnlög, in honor of her dead husband, Assur. It also commemorates the building of a bridge (a causeway across marshy ground) in memory of Assur.
The stone is carved with two serpent bands, around an ornamental cross. It says that Assur kept watch with a comrade Gæitir, as part of the Víkinga vorđr, a local defense force against Viking raiders. The photo below is taken from:
http://www.arild-hauge.com/sweden.htm
Beginning in the 8th century, Viking raids were carried out regularly in England and Ireland. Two well-known raids were on the monasteries at Lindesfarne in England (793 AD) and Glendalough in Ireland (834 AD).
In the first stanza of the poem below is a poetic form called a ‘kenning’. The ‘kenning’ is a figure of speech using two or more words to convey an idea or image. It is usually associated with Norse and Anglo-Saxon poetry. For example, ‘silver sun’ is a kenning for ‘moon’, and ‘summer smoke’ is a kenning for the windborne seeds of milkweed.
'summer smoke' of Rough Hawkweed (Hieracium scabrum Michx.)
keeping watch
the Bro Stone, Uppland
~
bitter is the wind this night
which tosses up the ocean’s hair so white
merciless men I need not fear
who cross from Lothland on an ocean clear
– Irish monk, 8th century
~
1.
on a calm night
under the shine of the silver sun
the shadow-self of dragon
square sail, glint of gold
swords polished and drawn
~
2.
these are signs:
blue sky
the white belly of a gull
lifted on the thickness of air
stalks of milkweed bent
their summer smoke pushed inland
~
3.
no fear tonight
the wind bitter
the ocean tossed
Gætir, new leader of the watch
may sleep
I warm my hands
in Assur’s cloak, now mine
today I raised a bridge
and this sad stone
to my husband
my Víkinga vörđr
my protector from the raid
~
4.
bitter this night
but safe
no dragon-kind
from the Danish shore
yet will I watch
listen to the whisper of milkweed stems
rumors of Lindesfarne
and Glendalough
where the coil of a serpent
may strangle a simple cross
~
© Jane Tims 2004
Wonderful post, Jane. “Keeping watch” took me back to Sigrid Undset’s tetralogy, “The Master of Hestviken.” Set in medieval Norway, whenever a character became incapacitated or gravely ill, his or her family would take turns “watching with” the one who was bedridden. Sitting by the bedside of a dying loved one was an honor and not considered a waste of time. Some of the other pursuits and plans of life were put aside, but that was the way it was done, family members taking turns so as not to leave the loved one alone. Even if a person lingered near death for years…
Love the silver sun, the words and your drawing!
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Barbara Rodgers
October 17, 2011 at 11:39 am
Hi Barbara. When I first read the Bro rune stone, the idea for ‘keeping watch’ came easily. I will have a look at the Undset books. Thanks for steering me in their direction. Jane
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jane tims
October 17, 2011 at 7:54 pm
I must say that I really enjoyed this. A beautifully written poem and a history lesson as well to boot! Thank you for sharing :-]
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redplace
October 15, 2011 at 6:26 am
Hi. I’m glad you liked it. I’ll have a look at your site too. Jane
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jane tims
October 16, 2011 at 4:16 pm