Review: "Viking Poetry for Heathen Rites" by Eirik Westcoat

"Viking Poetry for Heathen Rites" is a collection of devotional poems in the Asatru, that is Teutonic Heathen, religion. Eirik Westcoat is a true poet, and his devotion to his faith is evident in this work.

This is the most well done book of its kind that I've yet come across. The author is incredibly comprehensive in the range of religious topics he covers.  There are poems for spiritual purposes (such as hallowing and warding, terms that will be familiar to pagans of any path), poems that tell stories of specific deities and their exploits in Norse myth, and poems to call upon specific gods.

There are numerous forms of devotional poems to specific deities. So while one poem might call upon a god to request their presence, there are also poems of praise and toasts to the gods.

True to the Teutonic tradition, the author is sure to include a wide swath of gods, not only sticking to the most well known and famous ones. 

In addition, important spiritual figures like the Ancestors and the Alfar are not disregarded. 

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And, anyone steeped in indigenous European faith knows well that the Ancestors and Wights were, perhaps, even more relevant in the spiritual lives of Europeans than even the great gods were.  So, that the author includes these important spiritual figures in his devotional work speaks to his insight into his own faith.

I would recommend this book to many different demographics. It is designed for Asatruar (practitioners of Asatru, that is faithful to the Aesir, or Teutonic Heathens). However, any modern Pagan or neo-Pagan with an interest in the Germanic gods will enjoy this book.

In addition, anyone who has a mere cultural interest in Norse indigenous spirituality and Germanic culture would do well to peer through these pages. This is an age when European cultural heritage is under more threat than ever before. It behooves ethnic-Europeans of any faith, or no faith at all, to make an effort to explore and understand our cultural roots. And, I can think of no better way to do it than by reading the words of someone who has dedicated their heart and soul to the gods of their ancestors.

For more about the author, you can check out his blog, and follow him on Facebook. 

​​​​​​​My name is Carolyn Emerick, and I write on the history, myth, and folklore of Northwestern Europe. 

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