Hraerik’s recovery was very slow and he spent his days locked up in his bedchamber attempting to compose a poem in memory of his slain wife. But the writing was going slower than his own recovery, and, as days drew into weeks and his health began to return, a date was set for his beheading. The last few days, Hraerik worked feverishly on his poem for his wife, but the words just would not come. It was just the day before his execution when Hraerik finally completed the work, and when Eyvind Ingvarson told King Bjorn that it was done, he had Hraerik brought to his hall to recite it.
Hraerik was brought forth to the highseat hall and given a place of honour opposite King Bjorn. Swedish maidens brought him ale, and a fine feast was spread before him. Once Hraerik had had his fill, he strode out into the open area between the high seats and began to recite his poem:
GUNWAR’S SONG by Hraerik ‘Bragi’ Hraegunarson
© Copyright by Brian Howard Seibert
Tuning and Chords: Standard for Lyres, Lutes, Tars and Harps
Key: A, Strumming Pattern: Orchestrated, Plucking Pattern: Medium
“I sit (A) down and I try
to (C) write a song how you’ve (G) left me now,
but the (D) words won’t come,
the (A) words won’t come.
And my (A) memories,
they (C) flow like white water, (G) echoing…
how it (D) used to be,
it (A) used to be.
will I see you (A+) again?
(G) Gun(D)war,
will I (D+) see you, will I see you?
My mind’s (A) eye, it sees
the (C) radiant glow of your (G) beauty
through (D) the dust of
the (A) Don plain.
Soul (A) wandering
all alone (C) as you wait for your (G) lover
to (D) join you
in (A) heaven.
But the (A) God of gods will
look (C) down, my life fades on the (G) morrow,
and (D) cast my soul
to the (A) winds. Tween
earth and (C) stars, I shall always (G) remember
the (D) dream of your love
in my (A) heart.
Gun(G)war, Gun(D)war,
will I see you (A+) again?
(G) Gun(D)war,
will I (D+) see you, will I see you?
Take me (A) back through time,
(C) back to the day that I (G) met you;
Westmar’s (D) champions,
how they (A) baited me.
Hraelauger (A) saved me,
and (C) I won the hand of my (G) lover;
Oh, the (D) fates did bless,
my guile(A)fulness.
But the (A) god of storms
threatened (C) snow and my father did (G) sacrifice
his (D) life to stem
the (A) tide, and
the (C) storm’s depart will (G) always bring back
the (D) dream of your
love in my (A) heart.
Gun(G)war, Gun(D)war,
will I see you (A+) again?
(G) Gun(D)war,
will I (D+) see you, will I see you?
On foot(A)-blades of bone
we (C) razed the house of (G) Westmar,
and old (D) Gotwar
did (A) curse me.
Twelve sons (A) swept up in time,
she (C) tried to poison my (G) lover,
but, with (D) Odin’s aid,
my (A) wife I saved.
But (A) fate would not
be (C) denied fruition in (G) vengeance,
and her (D) nephew
blind(A)sided my wife,
With (C) golden spear, fratri(G)cidally,
He snuck (D) up and took her
sweet (A) life.
Gun(G)war, Gun(D)war,
will I see you (A+) again?
(G) Gun(D)war,
will I (D+) see you, will I see you?
The (A) lands of
Tmutoro(C)kan, they cried out (G) in anguish,
for my (D) wife’s blood
wet the (A) sands of.
As she (A) died out
upon the (C) Don Plain, my blade died (G) beside her;
’twas the (D) curse of
Tyr(A)fingr.
And the (A) cycle has gone
near full (C) round, for I die on the (G) morrow,
her (D) vengeance is
gone to the (A) winds. Though
gods (C) keep us apart, I shall always (G) remember
the (D) dream of her love
in my (A) heart.
Gun(G)war, Gun(D)war,
will I see you (A+) again?
(G) Gun(D)war,
will I (D+) see you, will I see you?
I sit (A) down and I try
to (C) write a song how you’ve (G) left me now,
but the (D) words won’t come,
the (A) words won’t come….”
Hraerik’s poem was near a full drapa in length, and, when he had finished, everyone in the hall, King Bjorn included, rose up and applauded his work. “A poem such as this,” the Swedish King began, “shall commend your fair Princess Gunwar’s memory to the ends of time. If you could but write such a fine poem on my behalf, I’d be inclined to pardon you.”
Prince Arinbjorn; Egil’s Saga (c.1230 A.D.).
SeiberTeck: 'The Varangians Series' 