DEATH ON THE LOG
A small rock on a tight place, and
two hundred years it lasted --
Jomsburg.
Sign in at 18, sign out
at 40, breed sons to
take your place.
Killers with a code,
partly admirable,
the Jomsvikings.
What did it take to wreck them?
a drunken boast:
"Tomorrow we take Norway."
Sixty ships, and
call in favours,
but up against Eric
Bloodaxe,
Eric the kin-killer
tomorrow's history.
Half way through
thirty five ships
skipped and ran --
Even the Jomsvikings
couldn't beat
odds like that.
So the log ...
Out of the wreckage
thirty chained ankle-to-ankle
and Thorkel with his axe.
How a Jomsviking dies
How Jomsburg died
One to his brother:
"If after death, there's life,
I'll stab this brooch in the ground."
The axe swung
the hand loosened
the brooch dropped
Eighteen down,
twelve to go, and
the blonde haired boy:
"Don't muss my hair,"
looking at a man
who'd seduced his sister.
Grinning, the seducer
pulled the hair forward
Thorkel swung his axe
... and Blondie jerked back
two hands on the ground
Eric barked with laughter.
"Your life for that!"
"All or none," said Blondie,
and Bloodaxe agreed.
... so that was how Jomsburg ended, twelve alive on the log, not near enough to reconstitute the fort, which was no doubt in Bloodaxe's mind when he graciously agreed to spare the last twelve lives.
ROBIN HAMILTON
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