Welcome poets, today I thought we should learn about kennings. A kenning is a very brief metaphoric phrase or compound word and it means “to know” (derived from Icelandic, but exist in many other languages like Swedish and German). It was used extensively in Old Norse (later Icelandic) and Anglo Aaxon poetry as a mean of adding both color, and better meter to the skaldic songs. For instance “whale-road” was used as a kenning for the sea in Beowulf, and “wave-stead” replaced ship in Glymdrápa.
It could be formed around a genitive or directly as a compound word in English we can use a hyphen, and it’s normally done by combination of nouns. In Nordic languages compound words are freely formed by writing them together. It’s actually still used in many languages to form new words. Consider for instance “fernseher” for television in German (meaning view from afar), or “couchpotato” for a lazy person watching too much TV. A language that evolves, constantly need new words.
Today I want you, dear poets, to create new kennings and use it in your poetry. The process is simple, just consider something you want a new word for and create one or several kennings for this. It can then form an ode, a riddle poem or any type of other poetry. There are examples to find at several places in the internet. But before doing that, I can give you an example I wrote a few weeks ago, where I at least partially used the process of kennings to write a poem celebrating International women’s day (March 8).
Sweet moon-dancer
and the meal-creator
Our garden’s friend,
and diamond-bearer,
lullaby-singer
honey-whisperer
Our decision-maker
and unpaid laborer.
The butterfly-charmer
and home’s defender.
Today is women’s day,
like every day should be
Usually you start with a base word, that have some relation to what your meaning and then you add a descriptive word. Let yourself associate freely and include all your fantasy in the creation and don’t hesitate to mix senses (Viktoria’s article on Synesthesia and Brian’s on the blind poet can be further inspiration if you missed them). Also the use of Mythology could be a good way to create association (Thor-hammering would for instance be thunder). The combination of two words become a kenning. For instance “butterfly-charmer” for woman. If you want more tips, you can also use the tools suggested by Tony in his article on the Nerudian Ode. Just remember to keep the metaphors to only two words. Rather add many kennings to create your complete imagery.
- Write a poem and post it to your webpage.
- Enter a link directly to your poem and your name by clicking Mr Linky below
- There you will find links to other poets, and more will join
- Read and comment on other poet’s work, we all go here to have our poems read
- Promote your site and poetry you like on social media of your choice
Glenn Buttkus said:
A notable challenge, brother, driving me in to ten kinds of frenzy. I will post in a few minutes, & then soon thereafter do the recitation.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Nice.. I will be back after listening to Beethoven’s seventh
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Hello poets and happy equinox – I’m at a concert but right now it’s a break.. Hope you are all great
brian miller said:
ha. hows the concert going?
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Concert’s just finished.. Soon I’ll be reading too
kelly said:
I love the idea of this… I’m not sure I got it right, but I gave it a shot! Definitely something to keep practicing…
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I’ll look forward to read 😉
Anthony Desmond said:
Hey Bjorn! this prompt challenged me and is a total 360 from my usual method – really enjoyed writing for this. It’s a bit of a busy day for me, so I’ll be making my rounds later…just wanted to make sure I was here to say hi at opening. smiles.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Hi Anthony, it was quite a challenge for me too.. But you did a great piece
brian miller said:
whattup anthony….i hear you….have a class i am tutoring that starts in about 10 minutes….so grabbing the early ones….whats go you busy?
Anthony Desmond said:
Sup Brian! well, shopping and did have other plans but they got cancelled so I’m here now… gotta see if I’m still having trouble with my comments not showing on wordpress… tried commenting on someones a few days ago and it wasnt working out for me, still. ugh
brian miller said:
how weird man….
brian miller said:
def some fun trips through the kenning out there…
Anthony Desmond said:
it’s all good now… left one on Claudia’s with no probs.
Mary said:
That was a fascinating challenge, Bjorn. I had never heard of kennings before, so it was fun to do a little ‘playing’ with them. I will enjoy reading what others come up with. Hope everyone is having a good (spring-like) week! Happy First Day of Spring to All.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Spring left – we have winter finally.. I started to think about the process of creating new words with Kennings
Grace said:
Thanks so much Bjorn ~ A very interesting challenge & I learned something new ~
Am still in the office and will be making my rounds later ~ Happy thursday to all ~
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Glad to see you Grace.. Now I’m heading in for Beethoven
anmol(alias HA) said:
I read your poem hurriedly a few minutes after you had posted it and rapidly wrote some few lines… came back to read your piece carefully only a while back. I don’t know what I’ve done is right or wrong, but it is an interesting tool definitely. Would try to use it more “lucidly” sometime again. Thanks for the info. 🙂
brian miller said:
i think you did a great job….tight and with some grit…
i got your piece…def fun to play….
brian miller said:
fun stuff bjorn….even squeezed a made up word in mine…might try a second one just to get a little more crazy and lose the hyphens….smiles…
be around shortly…
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Brian… I expected you and Claudia to ace in this.. fun to put a name for something you do all the time… 🙂
brian miller said:
smiles…ha…yeah, had that happen a few times…
guess we are not as original as we thought eh? smiles.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
You should look up the poet Snorri Sturlulson..
brian miller said:
alright…on my way to do just that…smiles.
Abhra Pal said:
Great idea Bjorn – I enjoyed it very much, I think Claudia does more experiment on this usually.
How was your concert?
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Definitely Claudia does a lot.. The concert is just finished.. And I think it was really good
Glenn Buttkus said:
Could be saga, or a languid Ode, or a hoary epic, for your incredible kennings prompt propelled me into the undiscovered country of Norse mythology, and word combinations I have never employed before; God help me, I used over 90 kennings before the creative sap ebbed; thanks for the fantastic fun, the electrified prompt.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Ah.. I read it on the subway home.. a great piece Glenn
Gabriella said:
Hi, Björn! I enjoyed this challenge and creating kennings, of which I had never heard either.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Another tool to add to our poetry toolbox… that’s how it should be — fun
Gabriella said:
Exactly!
claudia said:
good evening everyone… sorry… i’m way late…marathon meetings and business dinner… will be out on the trail in a minute…
what a cool prompt björn… love to play with words a bit and create something new…
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Ha.. for you this is so natural..
shanyns said:
I am pondering this, the live-knowing and heart-words needed…I like this. LOTS!
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I look forward to it soo much.. I might have to spend some time in Morpheus’ meadows first.
shanyns said:
it is a good place to rest…and I hear it is spring there!
I have mine up, and will read and visit from the last two prompts this weekend…been a busy week at work! 🙂
freyathewriter said:
Loved this challenge, Bjorn. Thank you for teaching us something new. I love finding out links between European languages too.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I find this a fascinating thing.. especially as we are such a diverse community…. we can always learn from each other…
claudia said:
i find it fascinating as well… and so much to learn… very cool
claudia said:
oh – and how was beethoven?
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
It was one of the best performances of Beethoven I’ve seen.. very good.. the no 7 was exquisite…
freyathewriter said:
Indeed we can. I remember watching a documentary a British comedian, Eddie Izzard presented a few years ago, where he investigated the links between European languages. He was able to go to a remote part of Holland and speak to a farmer in Middle English, and be understood. It was fascinating.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
When I was a kid I travelled in Scotland with my parents, at one bed-and-breakfast the old lady could talk to us kids in her ancient Scottish. and we understood perfectly… but to my parents she had to speak English.. fascinating…
freyathewriter said:
Wow! How interesting! Some words in Welsh are similar (in pronunciation) to French, which surprised me when I first learned a little bit of Welsh last year.
Susan said:
Fascinating! I did not get to metaphor, but some duets allow each word to modify the other like diphthongs alter vowels. I will be trying this again so guide me, please.
brian miller said:
its cool how one word will modify another in sound when put together…that is for sure…i may need to pay more attention to that if i try it again susan.
Glenn Buttkus said:
Some kennings are comprised of words that have never mingled before, and they conjure up fresh, exciting imagery; puts me in mind of using nonsense made-up words that look they mean something, so they do. Thanks for a grand comment over at my site; smiling & blushing here, brother.
brian miller said:
nonsense words are cool…i am pretty sure we wrote on them at some point….
billgncs said:
what a zesty prompt !
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Zesty .. Yes that’s maybe true 🙂 I find it interesting that a 1000 year old concept can feel so avant-garde.
billgncs said:
It’s in touch with the human spirit
Bodhirose said:
Thank you, Bjorn…this was a fun assignment. I wrote mine hastily late tonight…but it is what it is. Will have to do most visiting tomorrow after work. Can’t wait to see what everyone came up with!
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Sometimes writing hastily makes for more interesting kennings,
ramblingsfromamum said:
Kennings you say…looks around, oh right them..smiles… Nope still haven’t heard of them, will give a try later if I can, thanks for the interesting prompt BR.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Ha.. Yes there are always new things to learn.
kkkkaty1 said:
Thanks, Bjorn, for the neat prompt; the term sounds familiar…believe I read about kennings before but never tried it. My effort was written from a cue from a remark someone made on a TV program this evening 😉 I will post and read in a bit
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
The term is maybe unfamiliar but the concept we try every now and then. It’s almost like being a child to play with words like this.
katiemiafrederick said:
Thanks for the education on Kennings..and oh how i love to compound words to make new metaphors for meaning…
The great thing about making new words…like ‘supercultural’ that i will link here..is that when the free verse..or whatever form of poetry is done..in Google Blogger..the Google search algorithm..will pick up the new word..so when i enter supercultural in a search..i see my little creation..standing tall before me in ..results…
One day i might compile all these Kennings i have developed along the way of my blogging journey..and call ’em fredisms..or whatever..;)
BUT anyway.. thanks for the great prompt..and i’ve been on a bit of a creative rampage..since the Equinox and Spring is approaching..flowering out and all of that2…;)…
like to make the effort to comment on the beautiful work of so many people here….:)..
And my wife’s sister has developed cancer..so i’m gonna have some more time alone..while she takes care of her sister..to do a little more creativity..myself…while she is away…hopefully my brain will not explode..;)or such as that….:)
claudia said:
sorry to hear about your wife’s sister… hope that she will heal quickly…
katiemiafrederick said:
Thanks for the kind thought..Claudia..well.. while my wife’s matriarchal side of the family ain’t got much money..what they do have is love..it’s a lot like ‘Steel Magnolias’..if you’ve seen that movie…:)
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Indeed – the creation of words is so interesting.. Sorry for your sister in law…
katiemiafrederick said:
Thanks 2..Bjorn..for the kind thought..and Yes..i love creating..in general..and what better way i think..than to love language and communication enough ..to change it..and create anew…
claudia said:
good morning… cup of coffee and out on the trail to catch up..
claudia said:
nice… enjoyed my morning round… didn’t manage to read everyone and need to leave for work now…but will be back in the evening to catch up….
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Soon heading to work myself.. A little catching up before I leave.
rosross said:
Synchronicity again because in a conversation with someone yesterday I came up with two such ‘words’ and so have put them to poem.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Great, look forward to read it.. Just came to work so it will be later when I get home 😉
Hamish Gunn Fly Indie said:
Very interesting concept.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I find it most interesting.. and even more so after reading through the poems.. it’s like bringing 1000 years old ideas into avant-garde.
nicolethelocalartist said:
The scottish have a phrase, ‘ do ye’ken? ‘which I’ve always understood to mean, ‘ do you understand ‘ (as it does).But your information on kennings has just opened a whole richness of language that has been condensed and full meaning lost….thanks for the thought food
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Indeed, The word exist in many languages…
MarinaSofia said:
Why, you thought-prompter you! German does lend itself rather well to these kind of creations, but they are very enlightening in English too.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Ah.. this was indeed lots of fun.. I want to get home and read all the poems..
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
So an evening in front of the fireplace and lots of great poetry to read 🙂
claudia said:
fireplace and poetry sounds nice… we had 26 C here today… though they forecast rain and cooler for the weekend
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Ah.. we had 10 and sunshine..but on Sunday I go down to Bucharest.. guess it will be warmer there..
claudia said:
romania – nice…heck…you do a lot of traveling…
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Just a day of meetings then back again… we’ll see it might be more later…
Akila said:
Phew!! finally yep! hopefully some justice but it was fun!! 🙂 ll be back to read others….
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Ah.. good you made it.. soon there to read.
claudia said:
smiles… glad you made it… mackerel(ed) dew…nice… smiles
Gay Reiser Cannon said:
Bjorn – I apologize for not having posted anything as the day has run away with more than the spoon. Hours seem to be yanked out from beneath me since I’ve come home. It’s all up to me, so getting work done, talking to people, and fulfilling other functions take me away from the writing time I had when I lived at the beach. Every time I think I am going to get back in the groove, something happens.
I loved this article and have been giving thought to creating kennings…as yet haven’t figured out a poem to put them in. I shall and soon. Perhaps for the next upcoming OLN. So sorry; you are always so good to have something ready for me. Hopefully soon things will settle down. I did get my taxes done, my bills paid, my lawn cleared and cleaned, and all the usual as well. Maybe next week I can join in as I should.
I thank you and everyone else for being so diligent and dedicated!
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Gay.. thank you so much for your kind words. As said before the article is here.. a good archive and it can be combined with other prompts maybe too..
Lila said:
Wow this is amazing, Bjorn. Thanks for suggesting the other posts which I didn’t get to read before, they also helped with the writing this morning which I just polished and linked up.
Hopefully I didn’t break too many rules with the Kennings..smiles. I had fun writing.
Looking forward to reading others’ poems tonight.
brian miller said:
heya…be heading over in a few to catch up with you…
just got home from work….
Lila said:
Thank you for the lovely feedback, Brian (:
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Well done.. really liked your poem.. and that closing will stay with me..
Lila said:
That means a lot, thank you Bjorn.
biggerthanalasagna said:
I was so excited when I read this post and couldn’t wait to try it out! And, yeah, it didn’t turn out like I thought it would. I’m definitely going to try this again later.
brian miller said:
oh, i think you got it right…smiles…
biggerthanalasagna said:
Thank you Brian 🙂
biggerthanalasagna said:
🙂
Blog It Or Lose It said:
I was too late to link up, but I did add kennings to my recent poem. This was a great prompt and I hope you re-visit the topic again in the future. 🙂
There are kennings here if y’all are interested. It was a lot of fun! http://blogitorloseit.com/2014/03/22/uptown-free-verse/
joshuabertetta8306 said:
Great stuff dVerse–I have written a novel, one of my characters being Viking and while I have read numerous fantasy works set in Viking times, I have never seen someone use kennings–why I could never quite understood–I couldn’t help but make ample use of such in my work as well as playing around with Old Norse grammar to embody as best I could a Viking worldview. Cheers.
othermary said:
I was too slow to link up here Bjorn, but I found this article on kenning very interesting, and I did give it a try. Thanks very much.