Slow Havamal: 99

In the 99th verse, Odin heads out, imagining that he has already won Billing, who he calls his “wise desire,” her love, her joy.

I am writing these essays one by one, without reading ahead. So while I have read Havamal in its entirety before, I honestly can’t remember what comes next—an endorsement for this slow reread I’m doing now. That way, each verse is uncolored by the outcome, the way our experiences each moment contain only imaginings of the future, but no verified account. ( Read more... )