The Space Between Worlds (Video Poetry Reading)

This poem is one of a series of poems that I wrote based on the ancient world. It is written from the perspective of a Viking, and it deals with the transitory point between life and death. I wanted to experiment with merging mythologies in this poem as the Vikings were some of the most well-travelled seafarers of their day, and would have come across ideas of reincarnation through meetings with Hindu and Buddhist practitioners.

I always wondered how some Norsemen, and women, might react to new spiritual ideas and I feel that as history is written largely by the victor certain truths were swept under the rug.

‘The Space Between Worlds’ is a Ghazal, which is an ancient form of Arabic poetry. Its most well-known proponent is the Persian poet and Sufi master Rumi who was born in 1207. Rumi's Ghazal, and his poetry in general are amazing and encapsulate the mysticism of both divine and human love perfectly.

The Ghazal as a form is expressed by in-line rhymes and a repeated refrain at the end of each two (couplet) or three (tercet) line stanza. I decided to use a three-line stanza, otherwise known as a tercet.

This gives the poet more space to breathe, and as I've deviated a little from form this was essential. Ghazal are traditionally made up of a sequence of independent stanzas, which can all sit on their own as mini poems. As I wanted to tell a story and build a narrative this was difficult. I feel like I may have achieved independence for most of the tercet but one or two run on from each other to build a story within the structure of the poem. I did stick rigidly to the form in regards to the third line refrain which should be of one to three words that repeat, in this case, 'branches of heaven.'

Historically poetry is a spoken format and is often more effective when performed by the writer. I especially wanted to perform this poem given that Norse mythology lies at its heart and to honour the Skald's (Norse poets) oral tradition.

I hope you enjoy the video, and poetry reading.

All images and media used in the film are from CC licence Sources.

This poem is currently under consideration and submitted to Rough Diamond Poetry Journal.

The media used in the video reading are all creative commons licence. All images and video used are sourced from either pixabay.com or pixels.com, creative commons, check links to verify.

Links: 1 2 3 4 5 and 6

This is the last poetry video I shall be putting on Hive/Dtube for a long while as I have a strict writing deadline to complete the first draft of a trilogy of novels that I'm very excited about, and might just...🤞 get taken up by an agent, and perhaps selected as a potential for a screen adaptation. Whatever happens, I'll return in a few years once I emerge from my writer's chrysalis 😂

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