Den Vakre En
The Beautiful One

Warded against
Weapons of foes
All swore the oath
Save mistletoe

Loki, disguised,
Learned of the plant
The bane fateful
To cause Balder’s death

Loki, the sly,
Laughing guided
Blind Hœnir’s dart
Heedlessly thrown

“Where did it fall?”
“Where did it land?”
Asgard fell silent
Aghast by fate

Mistletoe’s kiss
Murdered the god
Odin’s fair son
Asgard’s most loved

Balder the fair
The beloved
Of Asgard’s gods
Of mortal men

Quietly slain
By the sightless one
Unknown target
Death untimely

Belated tiding
Brought from green isles
New God proclaimed
Among North-men

Like Odin, God
Offered his son
To be wounded
By the world’s darts

But Jesus, not
Balder, won the fight
Captives he freed,
Chains he shattered

Blood stained the hands
Dripped from his brow
Beautiful One slain
the Blind to save