Song of the Sybil

'I know an ash-tree,named Yggdrasil:
Sparkling showers are shed on its leaves
That drip dew into the dales below.
By Urd's Well it waves evergreen,
Stands over that still pool,
Near it a bower whence now there come
The Fate Maidens,first Urd,
Skuld second,scorer of runes,
Then Verdandi,third of the Norns:
The laws that determine the lives of men
They fixed forever and their fate sealed.'

From Song of the Sybil.

This is from a bookI found in the local library-Norse Poems by W.H.Auden & Paul B.Taylor(Faber & Faber).The poetry was translated from  Icelandic poetry written in the 13th century.

I'm repeatedly drawn to the Three Norns weaving the fate,destiny and thoughts of men.They also use water from the fountain to revive Yggdrasil,the tree.The tree provides a symbol of the cosmos,associated with growth and decay.

I developed a triptych entitled 'Urd,Skuld and Verdandi'.Each canvas measures 20 x 20cm.Although the image shows them placed horizontally,I feel that they could also be presented vertically. They are lightly textured and layers of colour built.At present they are hidden away as I think and reflect on presentation....

'Urd,Skuld and Verdande'

20 x20cm per canvas

Mixed media