Neil's Fiction

Ole went to work shortly when he reached the new land and wrote a letter home and told about the time. Later he wrote another and a third. Every week he wrote and never forgot to do so through the first year. And consistently he ended the letters with the comment that he should come back. The second year saw a longer gap between his letters; by Christmas time between his working spells was a full three months. He wrote about it and said he had so much to do. They granted him this excuse! It... Sign in to see full entry.

(From "Christmas in Vesterheimen, 191," with the benevolent permission of A.M. Sundheim, Augsburg Publishing House) There was once a little boy up in Norway, who herded during the summer and glided on skis and went to school during the winter. He was just cultivating a little body going on ten to twelve years with a thousand joys and sorrows, and he did not know the world. He was happy and so abundantly content the whole year. He sang and laughed both evening and morning and in the middle of the... Sign in to see full entry.

Ah, as the flow of the sun quivers and tremors of warmth! Ah, as it is a glorious, life-fresh day! As, as there can be born a longing, dream and belief. I go on a walk out in nature. It is so refreshing and works so benevolently on the mind. The heart beats at a quicker tempo of blood chasing easily through the year. There wholly is every breath and joy and gladness in every contemplation. Just a little whitewashed house with finely drawn lines, up by the forest border or down by the stream,... Sign in to see full entry.

God took Met's stone tablets And cast them well aside These stone lists of sins: Met's Those sins--and more--so wide. God knew them more than Met. Met drew close, "What say ye?" First, ground rules God did set, Words grander by degrees. "Met, you must say no more 'til I am done. Keep the silence! 'Tis true your sins do tabulate much more than thirty-one, Thirty-one by thirty-one by thirty-one; and more hence. You may count and count and count so blue, but it can't be done. "You come with crude,... Sign in to see full entry.

"I can't think of more yet, Save I desire and crave What's not mine; I covet. That what I can, I take. "I hate to admit I fail To have everything, nope. I want the world; I ail. Without that much, I mope. "But I can't even take All that is my neighbor's. I dream fancies; then wake, And look next house over. "I delve into image Of how their gold rings feel, Then seek dream's advantage: Claim that dame in a deal. "I go to shops with cash To buy all I notice Alas, I press and mash But it fits not... Sign in to see full entry.

"Who I call my son, no, He is not my son, but Son of my son. "Tis so, 'Cause blood son is a bum. "So in grandson I put hope, But he threw it away. He's bright, so chose best? Nope. To nonsense he's been swayed. "He says firmament to break, Water to come and come. He won't cease for my sake. I'm his kin, they say, dumb. "He claims this without clues, Persists for centuries. It makes me appear fool. And he also preaches. "He builds and gathers beasts. His folly makes me angry. I am hate him at... Sign in to see full entry.

"Hates are my sins for two, So much they are unique, With separate colors, hues. First, there's Pa, the God freak. "Here, there he talked You great. He never noticed me. I killed game at high rates, But Pa paid me no heed.. "Pa was not around, not much. When he was, his eyes high. To me he did not rush, Only talked divine sky. "His 'walks' with You, 'cool nights,' He described his nonsense such, 'Ah, if only to fly, To commune with You, touch.' "He merely told me, 'Look up; Look to God, and so... Sign in to see full entry.

"In fact, I'd like no ban In what I do when hot, Seething hard against man., To kill, to hold back not. "It would be a release, Letting go of what churns, What churns bringing unease. That source decays, joins ferns. "It is power as well, Feeling underhand a shake, A tremble, being felled, Then nothing; that calm I'll take. "Voices may rise within To rouse me with blood guilt. I'll stuff it. 'Tis no sin,' I'll say; I'll ignore the chill. "Ah, when life writhes and squirms, Knowing what'll... Sign in to see full entry.

"Don't tell me to have pose, Control o'er how I feel. I become angry, blow; I harbor, nip one's heels. "If I knock one's block off, What's it matter to You? Mad enough, fist I'll loft, Or they'll turn be quite blue. "If blues press, I choose muse: Revenge machinations. Stomach grinds but mind loose. I plot with harsh potions. "Slow folks irk me in flash. Rivals give angst for years. If I act fast, I lash. Bitter foes I'll have, not dears. "I'll not firgive tresspass, Nor tell one I was wrong.... Sign in to see full entry.

"This is not Your darn hour. No, no, I hold control. 'Tis my hour for power, O'er You; others also. "I say 'chomp'; they chomp down; They hate it, but they heed. I thrash; faces I pound. They squirm, howl, beg, and plead " But respite is denied. I do it as relish. Cruel power reside. No reason; I'm selfish, "But goods fall my way still. Money, treasure, prime loot. Tremors, bribes are a great thrill. Sheer reward, too: Blood oozed. "Others 'neath me I crave. I drive them to hard work, For they... Sign in to see full entry.