Hail to the Gods of the Waters

(What set this post off was eating a salmon patty and taking a moment out not only to really enjoy it, but contemplate where it came from, how it got to my table, and for whom I had to thank for the meal.)

Hail Njord!

Hail Ran!

Hail Aegir!

Hail to the Nine Undine Goddesses!

Thank you for the bounty of the sea, of life that swims and strains

Thank you for the sweat of fishermen, the strong meat of the oceans

That raise up from the depths and nourish us

Thank you Holy Ones.

Hail to the Gods of the Seas, the Oceans, the Rivers, the Lakes, and the Streams!

Hail to the Gods of the Waters, great and small, known and unknown!

May They ever be hailed!

 

Hail to the throngs of the ocean!

Hail to the fish, the eel, the shark, the whale, the shrimp, the crab, the lobster

All you who we eat;

All of you who are threatened by our fishing;

All of your who are threatened by our pollution and trash:

Thank you for your lives.

Thank you.

I ask not for your patience; we owe you debts no one human could return.

Perhaps not even a generation can.

Yet we try.  We will continue to try.

To do more than simply hail you; to stop the polluting and destruction

Wherever we can.

Hail to our cousins in the Waters; hail to the Watervaettir!

 

Hail to the fishers

Who risk life and limb to feed us and their families

Or who do the hard work of fisheries

Bless you who brave the waters

Who work the long hours

Who help to feed us

Hail to you!