the Year of Poet XIII ~ September 2026

Foreword The Norse Poetry has always been a vessel through which humanity remembers-its gods and heroes, its fears and hopes, its battles and dreams. In this special Year of the Poet issue, we journey into the ancient world of the Norse, where words carried the weight of prophecy, courage, fate, and legend. The Norse tradition offers us a poetic landscape shaped by towering gods, fearless warriors, mystical beings, and the ever-present awareness of destiny. From Odin's relentless pursuit of wisdom to Thor's thunderous strength, from the haunting beauty of the Northern realms to the inevitable coming of Ragnarök, Norse mythology reminds us that even the mightiest figures are not untouched by uncertainty, sacrifice, and change. Yet this issue is not merely an exploration of mythology. It is an invitation to listen to the echoes of an ancient people through the voices of contemporary poets. The Norse world becomes a mirror through which we may contemplate our own struggles, our search for meaning, our relationship with nature, and our understanding of courage and mortality. The ancient skalds transformed history, mythology, and oral tradition into verse. Today, poets continue that tradition in their own way-turning memory into language, silence into song, and imagination into a bridge between generations. Through poetry, the past does not remain distant. It breathes again. This issue celebrates that enduring connection. >And perhaps, as you read, you will discover that the old stories are not truly old at all. They still speak of us. They still ask us who we are. >Welcome to the Norse. Welcome to the poetry of myth, memory, fate, and rebirth. Elizabeth Esguerra Castillo International Author, Poet, Visual