This is sort of a special addition to my posts (I usually write stuff well in advance and schedule it to publish weeks or months later) because I need to do a bit of explaining about this. It started when Honeygloom suggested I look into writing in the Icelandic Skaldic verse forms. Being a good descendent of the Dane (yeah, I’m Irish but we got some of the Danish blood in us) I figured I’d give it a try. The demands of the drottkvoet (heroic) form are pretty intense; there are rules about the number of syllables (like in haiku), where alliteration has to fall, and the necessity of internal rhyme and placement of strong and weak accents. It’s a lot to track and I’ve had many false starts but I finally put one together that at least meets the form to a large exent (though I already see some breaks from the form).
As to the subject matter, that was easy. Of all the American legends my favorite has always been John Henry. He is the ultimate exemplar of the triumph of human will over the hell of human technology. Unlike Paul Bunyan, another legend who pits his muscle and skill against a machine, John Henry WON! And he won by a lot! Yes, it cost him his life but that only makes his victory all the more heroic…he gave his life to show us you can do this! You can prevail! He didn’t fade off into the wilderness like Bunyan…he died in his moment of triumph and became legend for it. So yeah, John Henry, the greatest American (and working class) legend ever was the obvious choice for my first foray into drottkvoet.
Let me know how I did in the comments; and I may come back and revise or even add to this over time. Thanks for reading.
Heroic hammer swings Hitting rods the shaker holds Stoic steel slammer sends Stone flying asunder Mechanical monster Moved by heated vapors Met its match; this man won Mightiest steel driver Victory through valor Vapor dragon vanquished Life exchanged for legend Let's sing of the steel driver Hammer falls hearken to Hearing songs of Henry Legendary laborer Listen well to his song
The alliteration 💥
Love it.