Finland

[dillingworth]

I've just got back - this was written on a sick bag on the plane home.
--------------
Wanton Lemminkainen, viper's victim,
is lining the bed of the river,
dredged by his mother.

Suomennlina's sand conceals
centuries of fractured guns.
I leapt in the waters, raking
for scraps of a man.

Old Vainamoinen trudges home,
deprived of his Maid of the North,
the enchanted boat a failure
though woven with words.

Thus our streets in a city diverged,
as ancient music
sang of an imminent parting.

[pseud]

♪♪ ♪
Finland, Finland, Finland
oh the country where I quite want to be

Finland, Finland, Finland
Finland has it all...
♪♪ ♪

Couldn't find anything to pick at dil. Normally in a workshop you have your hand slapped for something like "parting's sweet sorrow," but in context I think it works well.

- Caleb

[dillingworth]

"Oi Suomi katso, synyin vainas koita..."

[pseud]

Okay Mr. Oxford, I'm going to at least need to know what language that is before I can stick it in Babel Fish.

[barrie]

A bit of Finnish folklore - Sibelius based one of his works on the Lemminkainen Cycle, if my memeory serves me correctly. Lemminkainen was killed by a snake and then cut to pieces by the gods of Death - Similar to the fate of Osiris, who was dismembered by Set. Lemminkainen was reassembled by his mother.

'Wanton Lemminkainen, viper's victim,
is lining the bed of the river,
dredged by his mother.'

I had to google 'Suomenlina', now it makes more sense - ' raking
for scraps of a man.' - Is this another reference to Lemminkainen?

Old Vainamoinen was the master musician who could charm even wild beasts with his music - he was another character in the Cycle. Looks like I'll have to get the old books out again.

A strong finish (no pun) in keeping with spirit of the poem - As Caleb said, the cliche's excusable.

nice one

Barrie

[dillingworth]

Barrie, spot on as ever with the allusion hunting.

[pseud]

Finnish isn't on alta vista's babel fish...harumph

[Bombadil]

We're both fucked then.

Nice one Dill. I feel like skinny dipping in Finland now. Finny dipping, perhaps?


Och.

Keith

[dillingworth]

nakedness is quite big over there, especially in sauna, an almost spiritual experience. highly recommended, though not for those with weak hearts!

[David]

Is this how an educated man describes a holiday romance? I may be way out, but that's what the final verse got me thinking. (You go quoting Romeo and Juliet, what do you expect? )

Pedant's corner: don't think you need that third comma in the first verse.

I've actually been to Finland, but - I suppose - further north, inside the Arctic Circle. In February. -26 C! Got one view of the country from on top of a mountain - frozen lakes, bare mountains, snowy forests. Magical. Mind you, I don't care if I never eat reindeer again.

David

[dillingworth]

you're right in your holiday romance detection. i think the romeo and juliet thing is a bit too obvious though, i may edit.

as for the comma, i'm not too sure: both the river and lemminkainen are dredged by his mother - she raked the bed of the river and brought up pieces of her dismembered son.

[juliadebeauvoir]

I am not exactly up on my Finnish history--I can say its as cold here as Finland during February and that we also make paper like the Finnish. But that's about it.
Thanks to Barrie for clarifying some of the finer points. With the history background this piece is finely executed--liked the part about the mother.

Wanton Lemminkainen, viper's victim,
is lining the bed of the river,
dredged by his mother

.

Leave it to Mum to put everything back together again.

Cheers,
Kimberly

[Duncan Williams.]

nice peace of work Dill, hope you enjoyed your trip to Finland? when are you visiting Australia? we would really enjoy your talents. kind regards Duncan.