Visions

Mar 23, 2014

—

I stand proud
at the helm
of a dragon headed
Viking longship.
Salt spray lashes my face.
Canvas billows and flaps
with buffeting winds.

To appease Aegir,
god of the sea,
I have offered sacrifices.
He will protect me
on my voyage
through his realm.

Thor’s chariot,
drawn by a pair of goats,
rumbles thunder
across clouded skies,
as he wages war
against the Giants.

I love the sea,
but I’ll be glad
to get home to my wife.
She’s a warrior, healer,
teller and keeper of tales —
our heritage.

Image: http://transpressnz.blogspot.ca/2011/08/viking-longships.html

Comments

35 responses to “Visions”

hlfbreednation

March 31, 2014

i love this

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  April 7, 2014
  
  Thanks so much for your kind words. I look forward to your book being published. I would love to read it. ~ Dennis
  
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bluebutterfliesandme

March 25, 2014

We you a viking? I was a viking and my sisters were vikings…..

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  March 25, 2014
  
  Hi Sindy, my grandparents emigrated from Iceland to Canada in 1900, so that makes me a viking. I am very proud of my heritage and learn as much about it as I can. Blessings ~ Dennis
  
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  1. bluebutterfliesandme
    
    March 25, 2014
    
    Mine was past life, not heritage. ;)
    
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naturerestoresme

March 24, 2014

Love seeing this ancient vessel and hearing your words about this trip. Feels very real to me. And how cool to know that viking women were good with swords! I guess they were forces to be reckoned with.

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  March 25, 2014
  
  “A shieldmaiden was a woman who had chosen to fight as a warrior in Scandinavian folklore and mythology.” (Wikipedia) As with all mythology, there is debate about how prevalent this was; but there is archaeological proof that they existed. It seems logical to me. ~ Dennis
  
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Sue Dreamwalker

March 23, 2014

Your Words marry well with the image Dennis… and always bring to life a story through your words.. Thank you, I hope you are well? and enjoy the rest of your Sunday and a brand new week.
Blessings Sue xox

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  March 23, 2014
  
  Thank you, as always, Sue, for your kind words. Thank you also for your post “The Turning Point”. I watched the video and ordered, The Turning Point Creating Resilience in a Time of Extremes by Gregg Braden. I look forward to reading it. Blessings Dennis xox
  
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  1. Sue Dreamwalker
    
    March 23, 2014
    
    Oooh! Good…. you will enjoy I think.. :-) And you are most welcome Dennis… xoxox
    
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stillmrsslocum

March 23, 2014

LOVE this, especially the ending. This poem seems to me to depict a dominant man and his appropriate partner. Maybe that’s just reader response, but it like it.

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  March 23, 2014
  
  The Vikings were adventurous, and open minded. Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir became Iceland’s first female Prime Minister and the world’s first openly lesbian head of government on 1 February 2009. ~ Dennis
  
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seaangel4444

March 23, 2014

Lovely, Dennis! Always such a pleasure to read your words!! Big hugs, Cher xo

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  March 23, 2014
  
  Thanks so much, Cher. I was delighted to read your post “SOOTHING SUNDAY – MY ORCHID FRIEND”. Congratulations, on your orchid coming into bloom. Big hugs, Dennis xo
  
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  1. seaangel4444
    
    March 23, 2014
    
    Awh, bless! Thank you, Dennis. Purple is my favorite color, and to see it magnificently adorning this incredible orchid truly makes my heart sing! With big hugs back to you, dear Dennis! Cher xo
    
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btg5885

March 23, 2014

Well done, for any traveling warrior or business person away from his loved ones.

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  March 23, 2014
  
  Thanks, as always, for your kind words. I enjoyed your post “Countdown – Too many people to sustain long term”. Zero population growth is what we should aspire to. ~ Dennis
  
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  1. btg5885
    
    March 23, 2014
    
    Thanks. Maybe you could do a poem to reiterate. I like the Z-Pop slogan your bio teacher used.
    
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Annina Luck Wildermuth

March 23, 2014

A fine poem. I enjoyed reading it.

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  March 23, 2014
  
  Hi Annina, thanks for your kind words. I enjoyed reading and viewing “The Faithful Fox: A Fairy Tale”. ~ Dennis
  
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lytw8t

March 23, 2014

She’s fighter teller and keeper….. that I get it brilliantly done

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  March 23, 2014
  
  I am honored and humbled by your words of praise. Viking women had to be skilled with swords, especially when their men were away at sea. I love the image of a woman wielding a sword, to protect her family. The Vikings also had a rich tradition of oral history, long before they learned to write. ~ Dennis
  
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Tracesofthesoul

March 23, 2014

Love the imagery here, Dennis…some we can actually feel “Salt spray lashes my face.” :D

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  March 23, 2014
  
  Hi Oliana, thanks as always for your kind words. The imagery is from a dream I had, but I can’t help thinking it is from a past life. :) Dennis
  
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  1. Tracesofthesoul
    
    March 23, 2014
    
    It probably was! what an interesting dream!
    
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yasb

March 23, 2014

Dennis, you are very skilled writer, I really love you, but Vikings… come on, pirates really..;). Greetings from Scandinavia (land of the Vikings)

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  March 23, 2014
  
  My grandparents came from Iceland to Canada in 1900. My mother told me many stories of the Vikings. She said they really weren’t pirates, but I learned the truth later. I love your poem “It’s the end of March”.
  ~ Dennis
  
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  1. yasb
    
    March 24, 2014
    
    Well, there you go: it’s the Icelandic tellings that’s your proud heritage. You may like this two links
    http://nordicwomensliterature.net/article/what-woman-speaks
    http://sagadb.org/
    Thanks for kind words about my poem.
    
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  2. Dennis Cardiff
    
    March 24, 2014
    
    Thank yo so much for the links. I intend to write about some of the great women in Iceland and their place in history. I have read many Icelandic stories where a woman was the main character, who outsmarted and outfought her male rivals. These sites look fabulous. ~ Dennis
    
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pol4mi

March 23, 2014

Nice. Skye has right. Good work ! :-)

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  March 23, 2014
  
  Thanks for your kind words. I enjoyed your post “Place where I live”. It is very beautiful. I would love to travel there. ~ Dennis
  
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  1. pol4mi
    
    March 23, 2014
    
    Your blog is one big place with beautiful lines of words and thank you. By the way, you can anytime arrive. There are so wonderful places but you know all around the world are, everywhere we like it. :-) I am looking forward to your next post. Have a nice day !
    
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Skye

March 23, 2014

Wonderful imagery, Dennis. Well done, as always!!

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1. Dennis Cardiff
  
  March 23, 2014
  
  As always, Skye, it’s wonderful to read your words. I love your poem and photograph “Sunday Poetry: Springtime’s Glory”. It is both inspiring and comforting. ~ Dennis
  
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  1. Skye
    
    March 23, 2014
    
    Thank you, Dear Friend. You are a great blessing to me today and whenever we meet!
    
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