TBJ1

Reith Thorbjarnar(Thorbjorn's Ride)
In honor of Master Master Thorbjorn the Greysides
c. 1995 Karen Kahan

Crag of rock         justice-sharp, and keen,
            oversees ocean-edge.

Weep there many,          grief-dew bright
            on pale faces.
Then comes this vision,          to each watcher
             visits on night-wing:

Rises the moon full;                  Comes the sea-steed
              racing seas-mane
with outflung sails                      wind-bellied, full,
              speeds to ship-stead.

Strideth one to prow;            Great Wailing, she is hight
              by Aesir and Van.
Swan-coated, she;                   mail-clad; sword-girt
              and full fearsome fair.

              (She cries:)

"Heed! All manner              of alf and wight,
               Mark thou me well!
We are come                         for Grey Thor's Bear!
               Valhalla calls his names:"

"Hall-Master! Sword-Master!
Sword-Brother! Ring-Giver!
Stead-Keeper! Cheiftain!"

"Who knows not              his good wise counsel?
             In battle or at bench
to each asker                   is answer freely given
            and weighed with wit."

"Who knows not              this free-handed steadkeeper
           making welcome all comers?
Within his walls              merry mirth and safe rest
           found all seekers there."

"Who knows not               of Hand-Adder
           and Feeder-of-Eagles?
Axe and sword so named           by einherjar his blows
           have made death-kin!"

"Who knows not                 his wit at fair words?
           Bragi-blessed, his tongue,
and Othroerir-gifted;               not coarse nor thick
            nor boastful, lesing."

"Who knows not                of Grey Thor's Bear?
            Valhalla calls his names:
Hall-Master! Sword-Master!
Sword-Brother!   Ring-Giver!
Stead-Keeper! Chieftain!"

"Now let all lament                      and grieve greatly
                  for this night sails
from the world of wights           a sage warrior skald
                  matchless among men

And the wail of                         women and warrior
                  both make fit chorus
to honor his passage                 to the Hero-Hall
                 of the Shining Ones.

But be sorrowful not:              Tonight he boards seat
                at Odin's own bench.
Allfather hails him by name
saying, "Thorbjorn Greysides!
You are well met!"

And pours for him                   the mellow mead
                 in his own horn
golden-wrought and graven    with wish-speeding runes
                and Old Names.

Be sorrowful not                  for many number
             his kinsmen gone before,
long waiting                   to clasp arms
            again as brothers.

This night they will        raise meadhorn and voices
            in mirth and merry
and tell glad tales             each one to each
            of together times and apart.

Suchwise in wassail            they so will dwell;
            this was pass time
until Wyrd summons     leman, kinsmen, sib and bondsmen
             from the world of wights."

"Once again I say:                Heed, all manner
             of alf and wight!
We are come                 for Grey Thor's Bear!
             Valhalla calls his names!"

"There will he dwell          in place of honor
             earned well-over,
in Hero-Hall                        in kinsmen company
              in mirth and merry."

"There will he wait           for each of you in turn
              as the Norns decree,
and for Ragnarok               which we every one
              await together!"

Wyndreth's note--Master Master Thorbjorn the Greysides was everything a successful Norseman ought to be--he was
a fearsome fighter, a peerless host, a lover and maker of poetry, a generous patron, and possessed of both a quick wit
and great sense. We lost much when he passed from us--he is rightly a legend of the SCA--but it makes me feel
better to know he's tearing it up in Valhalla right now with some other friends of ours...

I wanted to make a proper elegy for a friend and a fine Norseman. I hope he likes it...