“…one of Aurvandill’s toes stuck out of the basket and became frozen;
wherefore Thor broke it off and cast it up into the heavens, and made
 the star called Aurvandill’s Toe.” — Skaldskaparmal

Rigel is my right toe, a golden star
That glimmers across the world. Orion’s
Foot it’s called these days.  See how it shines, see
How it moves around the night sky? Dark hours
Show it better than those near dawn. Bullion
Bright coinage in the black chest of space. Free
From my foot forever to walk across
The sleeping ceiling of the Nine Worlds, to
Guide the sailor at his helm, the widow
At her witchings. Thor helped me when the frost
Bit my flesh and nipped life from my big toe.
He cut it off and threw it away, threw
It to the sky. Aurvandil’s Toe is my
Toe, is a star. So in a way, am I.

[Juleigh Howard-Hobson writes numinous poetry. She has been nominated for “The Best of the Net”, The Pushcart Prize and a Rhysling. Her latest book is Our Otherworld (Red Salon Press). She lives in the cold grey wilds of the Pacific Northwest where she practices useful Northern Magic. Follow her at https://twitter.com/Farmerpoet2.]