A Ship Comes In - Jónas Hallgrímsson

Can the bard descry a schooner
scudding landward, sails expanded?

God's Book of Nature - Valdimar Briem

This wondrous world, my God, a book I deem,
Wherein the Author's heavenly glories shine:
The petals of the wayside flowers meseem
Its pages, pencilled o'er by hand divine.

The Farmer in Wet Weather - Jónas Hallgrímsson

Goddess of drizzle,
driving your big
cartloads of mist
across my fields!

Ultima Thule Sendeth Greeting: Part III - Matthías Jochumsson

Hear, Albion,
hear peoples all,
an old man’s words 

from Ultima Thule! 

Ultima Thule Sendeth Greeting: Part II - Matthías Jochumsson

Young was I wont —

now four-score years— 

to fashion words
in Odin’s tongue;

Ultima Thule Sendeth Greeting: Part I - Matthías Jochumsson

Hail to thee, Albion! 

Ultima Thule
sendeth salutem

Journey's End - Jónas Hallgrímsson

The star of love
over Steeple Rock
is cloaked in clouds of night.
It laughed, once, from heaven
on the lad grieving
deep in the dark valley.

Elfarvísur - Einarr Skúlason

Many a man fell from the bloody prow of the sea-steed into the deep; 

abundant nourishment was given to the Glaumr of the troll-woman; 

carrion drifted before the current. 

Song of the Berserks - Anonymous

Brown are our ships. 

But the Vauns admire 

The haunts of the brave; 

Horses of the sea. 

They carry the warrior 

To the winning of plunder.

Skarphedinn among the flames - Hannes Hafstein

Booming and quaking.

Cracking and breaking,

Down crashed the rafters

And roofbeams sturdy.

The May Star - Halldór Kiljan Laxness

Oh how light is thy shoe-sound

oh how long I abode thee

there is spring snow on window

bitter wind that whines

Skirnismol (The Ballad of Skirnir) - Snorri Sturluson

Freyr, the son of Njorth, had sat one day in Hlithskjolf, and looked over all the worlds. He looked into Jotunheim, and saw there a fair maiden, as she went from her father's house to her bower. Forthwith he felt a mighty love-sickness. Skirnir was the name of Freyr's servant; Njorth bade him ask speech of Freyr. He said:

"Go now, Skirnir! and seek to gain

Speech from my son; 

And answer to win, for whom the wise one 

Is mightily moved."

Odin's Rune Song - Sæmundr Sigfússon

I know that I hung, on a wind-rocked tree, nine whole nights, with a spear wounded, and to Odin offered, myself to myself; on that tree, of which no one knows from what root it springs.

Icelandic lullaby - Halldór Kiljan Laxness

I shall wake and be good

to my friends small,

while fear runs red

the blue peaks flush

and Harpa sings a song of spring

on the grey harp leaf.

 

untitled - Eiríkur Örn Norðdahl

I died but now I live for

ages of ages

and hold the keys of hell and death

Rewind - Steinun Helgadóttir

Rewind.

Eyes fixed

on

widelenshorison

hands

an icelandic economist in soho - Sjón

orange tents

sprout up

around the pub

A bird clock - Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir

i walk slower

today

than yesterday

The Way of the Cross - Hallgrim Petursson

The pathway of Thy Passion
To follow I desire;

The King’s Welcome to Thingvall - Matthías Jochumsson

With strong foot tread the holy ground,
Our snow-land’s King, the lofty-hearted,
Who from thy royal home hast parted,
To greet these hills that guard us round!
Our Freedom’s scroll thy hand hath lent us,
The first of kings whom God has sent us,
Hail! welcome to our country’s heart!