Written for the Sir Gyrth Oldcastle Memorial Poetry Smackdown at KASF 2018. I drew on the Volsunga saga and the Poetic Edda for the material. The verse is allegedly the Norse eddic fornyrðislag .
Guthrun’s words wound Brynhild
Sigurth played false the shieldmaiden
Enraged, she goes to room, to bed
Speaks to no one silently plots
Husband Gunnar her health he fears
Gunnar’s sister Guthrun fears evil
Both beg Sigurth her spouse, his friend
Go to Brynhild bring her some peace
To bedside goes Bane of Fafnir
Valkyrie stares unseeing past him
He recalls love what lay between them
Musters his strength and speaks to Brynhild
What illness strikes strongest of women?
Why to her bed does Brynhild go?
I wish you well would help if I could
Tell me if aid I can render
Do not pretend tenderness
Towards me, Sigurth - I know secrets
Fond heart for me have you not
I, scorned and spurned by Sigemond’s son
Guthrun told me you tricked me
Took Gunnar’s form the fire to leap
A fearless man must I wed
Oath-bound was I to agreed to the match
Sigurth, you swore on sword of father
To return to me take me as wife
But you gave me to Gunnar
Lesser man than the lord I loved
I am guilty of grave wrongs
The words you say sing with truth
Brynhild, hear me hard words I speak
There is more to it than you know
Grimhild in cup carved ancient runes
Guthrun’s mother made me forget
Bespelled my mind my spirit confused
All our oaths erased from thought
So I agreed Guthrun to marry
Blameless that girl guilty her mother
When you were wed wife to Gunnar
Then to my mind memories came
I love you more than my own life
Painful for me to be parted from you
Happy at least your hall to share
Let us be friends and find peace here
You should have spoke sooner, Sigurth
Much evil perhaps avoided could be
It is too late my love of old
My heart is hard with hate from hurt
Brynhild, I beg be not wrathful
I will amend mistakes past
Set Guthrun aside I will
Marry you make you my wife
You cannot have in hall two kings
Husband have I to him I vowed
You should have spoke sooner, Sigurth
It is too late our love to save
Go, Sigurth to Gjuki’s daughter
Leave me here like you left before
My pride requires your punishment
We part, beloved, as enemies
