Ginnungagap

I have heard that Ginnungagap,

where the fire and ice meet,

is a place of dark, warm moisture.

And rain.

Lots of rain.

 

There was a cow, Audumla,

that licked the ice and rime with her rough warm tongue.

She licked Ymir, the giant, out of the ice.

And from Ymir’s body the world was created.

 

Nothing like that happened here, of course.

No worlds were created,

no seas, no skies, no stars, no trees, no grass. 

There were no giants.

 

It just rained a lot 

and a lot of wine was drunk 

and secrets were told and forgotten.

 

Still, while the rain was falling

and the fire was hot and high,

it felt like a place of magical power

where startling things might emerge out of nothingness.