Twilight of the Gods

Once we rode the Rainbow Bridge

Across the skies to Valhalla.

Once, when we were sisters of the shield

And we carried the slain

On a steed with storm speared mane.

We brought from the battlefield

All those Chosen as Odin's lot,

All those wild ones belonging to Thor -

Sworn thralls to Heimdall's Horn,

Those Mangods of woman born,

We brought them to Asgard's Door.

We took them to Vigrid's Plain

To meet the Eye of Alfathur.

Beneath that all-seeing Orb of Fate

We laid their virtue's deed.

None questioned the Aesir's need

To follow the Runes of Hate

And passed that Judge of Ragnarok.

Even we who were chosen to guard

Must trade our dreams for lust

Or, weeping as exiles must,

Be cast out to Midgard.

One by one we failed the test

And took our leave from Odin

As we weighed that fell tomorrow

Against the promise of Bifrost.

The gift that our kindred lost

Was the choice of hope or sorrow

Which we took from the blinded Norns

To counter the balance of odds

That forever seal the Portals

Between the Dawn of mortals

And the Twilight of the Gods.

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May not be reproduced without permission of the author