.

Poetics part II

By: Hjuka Harugari

>Hjuka wrote [[.. when I hear songs sung in the elder form it simply 'connects' in a deep way .. ]]
>** Of course it does. Afterall, poetry is 'inspiration'.
>

...true, and I think that has alot to do with the deeper, mystical properties underlying poetic forms.. this was something Elder Heathen, both Scandinavian and German knew full well...poetry was integrally tied to the life blood of the tribe itself- it was after all THE way the tribal history was conveyed prior to the written form ...which, it should be pointed out doesn't necessarily mark any sort of 'evolutionary' advancement- after all had not the church made such devastating impacts upon the Germanen of old, such eldritch wisdoms would still be communicated mouth-to-ear...
the Germanic Heathen typically didn't write such holy things, such was considered 'taboo' or perhaps unholy in a peculiar manner... poetry and poetic form, as a gift of Wodan certainly is a holy manifestation in and of itself, as is the inspiration to not only compose such works, but that inspiration we feel when hearing them sung...there was definitely something extraordinarily holy about poetic form, and utilitarian as well- after all, Germanic poetic composition played on those mental triggers...that is, like when you hear a song...you remember the lyrics even when you can't stand it...the rhythm of the song sets that response within the brain that allows us to remember things with exceptional ease, and typically will commit them to the range of long-term memory, as opposed to say a book, where you couldn't possibly remember it word-for-word...

you can see an interesting phenomena in the evolution of Germanic languages as you follow the course of writing among Germanen...you see the inflexional systems diminish (and in English, nearly totally disappear)...so that it takes many more words to express a thought than it did within the language in its earlier manifestation...Gothic, which has the most complex inflectional and grammatical system I've ever tried to learn (It took me longer to learn Gothic than any other language I've attempted) is a great example of it-

háuhista frumiþa
[how-his-ta froom-ith-ah]
translation: at the highest point originated.

...two words into five...even MoGerman is wordy compared to its elder form.. though certainly, OHG is not quite complex as the elder, Gothic form in its grammatical/inflexional systems... anyhow, the poetic rhythm triggers that certain response within the brain...the condensing of phrases not only allows for a greater codification (say, where you want to encrypt something within the verse), but for the memorization of key points or even a word-for-word retention of the 'message' or 'thing' being sung/ sung about in the composition....

Hjuka, Harugari