The Reply Of Christ (After Longfellow)

The Challenge of Thor by

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I AM the God Thor,
I am the War God,
I am the Thunderer!
Here in my Northland,
My fastness and fortress,
Reign I forever!

Here amid icebergs
Rule I the nations;
This is my hammer,
Miölner the mighty;
Giants and sorcerers
Cannot withstand it!

These are the gauntlets
Wherewith I wield it,
And hurl it afar off;
This is my girdle;
Whenever I brace it,
Strength is redoubled!

The light thou beholdest
Stream through the heavens,
In flashes of crimson,
Is but my red beard
Blown by the night-wind,
Affrighting the nations!
Jove is my brother;
Mine eyes are the lightning;
The wheels of my chariot
Roll in the thunder,
The blows of my hammer
Ring in the earthquake!

Force rules the world still,
Has ruled it, shall rule it;
Meekness is weakness,
Strength is triumphant,
Over the whole earth
Still is it Thor's-Day!

Thou art a God too,
O Galilean!
And thus singled-handed
Unto the combat,
Gauntlet or Gospel,
Here I defy thee



The Reply Of Christ

by Simon Bucher-Jones

Not mine the thunders,
That were my fathers:
Jehovah of Battles
He would have met you
As an army of banners
Flame-Pillar before you.

I , Baldar forshadowed
Renewed from the deathstroke
Launched by blind god’s hand
Plotted by Loki
In me, forgiveness
After all battles.
In me the green-shoots
On sword ploughed land.

I bear the burden
Of the blind battle-fury
Crucified on the world-tree
For prideful soldiers.
For their camp followers
For their supporters,
For all mankind.

The thunderous darkness
That shook the Temple
In the first Easter
Is your great hammer
Falling its final
Time, its power then taken,
By healers and doctors.

Force does not conquer
Peace outlasts its clamour
Even where war springs.
True strength is blessed meekness.
Thursday remains but the
Loud Thor is silenced.
Good Friday follows.




Simon BJ