The old magician of Christmas Once upon a time, in a small village tucked away in the snowy hills, there was an old magician named Benjamin. He was known throughout the village for his magical abilities and kind heart. Every year, as the holiday season approached, Benjamin would don his red robe and pointy hat and set off on a mission to bring joy to the children of the village. Benjamin had a special gift. He could transform ordinary objects into magical toys that would come to life. The children eagerly awaited his arrival, knowing that he would bring them something extraordinary for Christmas.

The Björk Rate: Complete.

I'm really hoping my inevitable low score kicks it out. If I gave it above a 5 I'll be annoyed with myself.

Pagan Poetry is an unequivocal masterpiece. First of all, it has the best opening of any pop song of all time. If those harp strings in the first thirteen seconds don't compel you to drop everything you are doing at the time (if the song unexpectedly graces you with its presence through a shuffled playlist) close your eyes and raise your head towards the sky momentarily believing that there is a god (there isn't) then I don't know what to tell you. When I'm riding my bike and the songs comes on, I pull up to the side of the road and take a few breaths before I continue.

In fact, even if you're listening the song in the album sequence and the harp strings play right after you've stopped sobbing to the Undo crescendo, about all the things that have fucked you over in your life and you have to get over ("if you're bleeding. undo", etc) the effect is the same. You can NEVER be prepared for those strings.

Second of all, it's a song with 55 different ideas. and all of them work. Nobody has put a song out like that before and nobody will ever again. If anyone tried, it would sound like a mess.

And finally, I cannot believe that you don't appreciate the "I love him, I love him. " loop. I have read your posts about the 90s and they're all torture and drama. This song is all torture and drama. It doesn't make sense that you don't like it. Open your heart to it.

ohnostalgia

Baby Clyde

have read your posts about the 90s and they're all torture and drama. This song is all torture and drama.

The 90's were all nightclubs, E's and well more nightclubs and more E's.

They were fabulous.

Baby Clyde

Deleted member 12509

The 90's were all nightclubs, E's and well more nightclubs and more E's.

They were fabulous.

I kind of fell to pieces after all of this. Stopped eating. Weighed about 8 stone. I looked amazing. No one would have known as I was very good at putting on a brave face and to be honest whilst it was the worst period of my life I was also having the most fun ever.

Animalia

Shall we find out our bronze medallist?

(Are enough people around?)

Weslicious

I'm here, playing the should'o'won Unison awaiting the Top 3!

Fingers and toes for 3. Hyperballad 2. Pagan Poetry and 1. Joga

Booers

Shall we find out our bronze medallist?

(Are enough people around?)

ManilaChinchilla

Atletico

Animalia

Third place goes to.

#3 – Pagan Poetry (9.60)

Five 11s and twenty-seven 10s. This will be a disappointing finish for some, but a 9.60 average with no scores below a 7 is damn impressive result for a song that quite easily could have proved divisive in the face of the more strictly “pop” giants. And therein lies the wonder of Pagan Poetry – it very much belongs to the more artsy, avant-garde realm of Björk’s discography, deviating far from her traditional pop routes and challenging you with its off-kilter music box charms, but where other such “difficult” songs faltered and fell early on in the rate, Pagan Poetry stood strong at #3 for pretty much the entire time. Its sheer strength, its emotional power and complexity carried it through, proudly representing Vespertine in the very upper echelons of the leaderboard, and honestly I couldn’t be happier. The song creates it own little world and envelopes you in, twisting and turning around you with it’s intricate weave of sounds and tormented cries. It’s a beautiful dark twisted fantasy, really – a comparison Kanye himself would surely approve of, since he played the song at one of his shows, dedicating it Björk who was in the audience. Queens.

Amidst the complex network of chimes and deep, muffled beats lies a harrowing love story, wrought with anguish and pain. Contrary to most of Vespertine, which explores the happiness and comfort to be found in love, Pagan Poetry delves into the dark depths of suffering that can come along with it; the dangerous, forbidden side of love. Whether it's the pain of unrequited love, or the internal struggle of a mutually destructive relationship, the song evokes the hidden emotional torture and turmoil of having to let go of love that you know is ultimately doomed. But at the same time, Pagan Poetry is intimately passionate and sexual, finding solace and redemption in the physical aspect of the relationship, those moments in which the pain doesn’t matter. All the dilemmas and anguished thoughts culminate in Björk’s haunting chants of “I love him, I love him” before finally making the decision to “keep me all to myself”, sacrificing the tortured romance for her own sake, setting herself free to find a more peaceful, positive kind of love. I’ve mentioned before that until very recently, I thought the closing lines were screams of “but he makes me want to hurt myself”, rather than “he makes me want to hand myself over”, but really they’re both scarily fitting.

Pagan Poetry was the second single taken from Vespertine. Released November 5th 2001, it sadly only just managed to scrape the Top 40 at #38 in the UK, but made impressive impacts on Portuguese (#4), Spanish (#6) and Canadian (#12) charts, and even made it onto Pitchfork’s Top 500 tracks of the 2000s at #227. The music box version of the song heard within was created by Jack Perron (who manufactured the music boxes used for Vespertine themselves), and was later included as a separate B-side to Cocoon.

The music video for Pagan Poetry was directed by Nick Knight – it was his first ever music video, followed by Born This Way and Bound 2 – and almost definitely holds the title of Björk’s most controversial video. As enigmatic and vague as the song itself, the first half of the video is an overly-processed blurry mess of blobs and mysterious shapes that when looked at closely reveal themselves as explicit sexual acts. There’s some light-hearted fellatio in there, some good ol’ fashioned ejaculation – you name it, it’s probably hidden in there somewhere. The most controversial aspect of that being… it might just be actual footage of Björk and Matthew Barney. All Knight had to say on the matter was that he gave Björk a handheld camera to “film her love life” for the video, and that was the end result. So… yeah. But even weirder – that wasn’t why the video was banned by MTV in the US: the latter half of the video sees Björk draped in the iconic Alexander McQueen wedding dress – a dress which leaves very little to the imagination, and we all know how terrified America is of nipples. The intermittent graphic shots of pearls and corsets being sewn directly into someone’s body probably didn’t help matter either, though.

So taking our prized bronze medal, it’s Pagan Poetry, a harrowing tale of damned love set to Vespertine’s crowning masterpiece of production. It’s more than deserving of the fan-recognition and critical renown it enjoys, and equally of its podium finish here. Let’s have one final cheer for Vespertine, shall we?

“Incredible. Flawless from start to end.” Txetxu cheers, “There is no fault in any of the notes used for this particular song. Those final adlibs that sound like she's being stabbed in the heart give me the feels.” Ugh, yes. Those painful, gut-wrenching screams are such a highlight in her entire career, a proper goosebumps moment. “This is too raw for me”, Ray admits, “Of course I can't not feel absolutely ripped into pieces when she declares ‘I loff heem, I loff heem’ but it's just… I don't feel there's space for me in this song. It's a complete piece.” I mean I don't really understand why that means it’s an 8/10 but do you! “I can see this winning, and it'd totally deserve it.” Sorry AllGagaLike, you weren’t far off! Meanwhile, Push articulately sums up why we all love this so much: “The driving soundscape of Pagan Poetry makes it Vespertine's apex (and one of the most memorable moments in Björk's discography), to which her otherworldly voice provides an erotic, cinematic urgency. This has to be one of my favourite songs of all time, it's pure, unadulterated magic, with its climax being absolutely devastating.”

“Fucking incredible,” P’NutButter commends, before just going for it: “HE MAKES ME WANT TO HAAAAND MYSELF OOOOOVHHHHHHERRRR" *dies*” Bye gurl, you’ll be missed. “Just wow,” Zdarlight starts, “the song, video and everything that surrounds it. A career highlight.” Something tells me constantino might agree, too. “Yasss! Give me that twinkling, mystical and nocturnal hymn that I crave so desperately! This song makes me want to buy a lantern, some herbs, beads and a guitar and head to the nearest willow tree!” Yas I love Charmed. Up Down Suite reveals a more emotional connection to the song. “One I can somewhat relate to. Someone I fell for that I couldn’t stop myself from loving, yet I knew doing it was simply just me hurting myself further because it’s clearly not going to happen. And indeed all I ever got was ’a handshake’. Sing my pain, queen.” I hope you’ve found peace with it now, sis! We love ya.

Let’s hear from out 11ers to finish up! First up, Can’t Speak French! “I’m not sure how to put this into words other than that the first time I heard it I ended up playing it on repeat about thirty times. This is the sound of the angels talking to you.” And to play out Pagan Poetry and lead us in into the Grand Finale, it’s One Stop Candy Shop. “Hyper-ballad was gonna get my 11, but when I revisited Vespertine, Pagan Poetry snatched that high score in a heartbeat. It's the richest, most complete song in Björk's catalogue. It's so dark at first, and then we get to ‘I love him, I love him. ’ and it turns out to be a love song. It's also one of her best vocal deliveries. And it's the best song ever that starts with the word ‘pedalling’.” And that’s saying something, I’m sure.

Pagan Weeknd (Die For Your Poetry) (The Weeknd vs Björkj

And the moodymashes haven’t gone away….they just got shelved for the festive and disco fare which is also posted very soon or elsewhere!. .

Some songs just trigger an immediate personal reaction, like going straight back to where I was. Pagan Poetry was one, a difficult time where I was in love with someone I should not have been, and he’s long gone to a distant Valhalla – or more likely Helheim. The Björk song reminded me of him and works really well with Die For You, which has similar themes of darkness and uncertainty. Hence I wanted to reflect that sound of whispers, secret codes, the claustrophobia and yearning, the darkness and light.

To say this The Weeknd’s Die For You vs Bjork – Pagan Poetry mash is highly personal and just done for me to express something I can’t express in words…is an understatement. I nearly didn’t post it for those reasons….it’s skirting too close to the wind. Layers upon layers of what I reveal (or don’t), secret codes, whispers, ghosts – that’s what I put into this. It’s odd for someone who seems to be an open book, there are chapters that are firmly glued shut. A dark horse hiding out as a unicorn.

After I made it I found out the Weeknd song is big on The TikToks. Shame I’m not really one to post there after having 2 of my videos immediately pulled.

I thought that doing this might give some resolution, exorcise the memories but turns out, it doesn’t work like that. It feels too naked and revealing, but maybe other people can relate?

Björk ♪ Pagan Poetry

A depiction of undulation in the current of procreation.

Björk - Pagan Poetry (Official 4K Music Video) -->

Pedaling through The dark currents I find An accurate copy A blueprint Of the pleasure In me [chorus] (Swirling, black lillies, totally ripe) A secret code carved A secret code carved He offers A handshake Crooked Five fingers They form a pattern Yet to be matched On the surface simplicity (Swirling, black lillies, totally ripe) But the darkest pit in me It's pagan poetry (Swirling, black lillies, totally ripe) Pagan poetry ? Morsecoding signals They pulsate and wake me up From my hibernating On the surface simplicity But the darkest pit in me It's pagan poetry Pagan poetry I love him, I love him I love him, I love him I love him, I love him I love him, I love him (She loves him, she loves him) This time (She loves him, she loves him) I'm going to keep it to myself (She loves him, she loves him) This time (She loves him, she loves him) I'm going to keep me all to myself (She loves him, she loves him) And he makes me want to hand myself over (She loves him, she loves him) (She loves him, she loves him) And he makes me want to hand myself over (She loves him, she loves him) (She loves him, she loves him) (She loves him, she loves him) (She loves him, she loves him)

This video is a supreme beauty. It is directed by Nick Knight.

This video was ban'd in good old USA.

Part of the undulation footage in the video is based on a actual video Bjork recorded of herself and her boyfriend in copulation. The piercing footage are not Bjork, except the ear.

Note the piecing in her back. That's called corset piercing.

Bjork in Pagan Poetry, directed by Nick Knight. Dress designed by fashion designer Alexander McQueen (1969 to 2010) (McQueen killed himself.)

The children eagerly awaited his arrival, knowing that he would bring them something extraordinary for Christmas. On a cold winter's day, Benjamin would make his way through the village, his wand in hand, glistening with the promise of enchantment. As he walked, the snowflakes would dance around him, and the air would fill with the scent of hot cocoa and freshly baked gingerbread.

The Making of Pagan Poetry

The making of the vid is described here: http://unit.bjork.com/specials/gh/SUB-07/making/. Official site for pagan poetry is at: http://unit.bjork.com/specials/gh/SUB-07/index.htm.

∑ XAH You Are Beautiful.
For copyright issues, contact xah @ xahlee.org

The children would gather around him, their eyes filled with wonder and excitement. Benjamin would wave his wand, and a wooden toy soldier would transform into a real-life guardian, ready to protect them from any danger. A raggedy doll would come alive, ready to be a friend to any lonely child. And a plain old sled would turn into a magnificent flying machine, whisking children away on magical adventures. The old magician would spend hours with the children, telling stories of his own childhood and the wonders of the world. He would share his wisdom and teach them the importance of kindness and love. The children would listen intently, hanging on to his every word, knowing that they were in the presence of someone truly special. But as the years went by, Benjamin grew older. The villagers also grew older, and the number of children dwindled. The magic of Christmas seemed to fade away, replaced by the noise and busyness of modern life. One year, Benjamin realized that he was the last remaining link to the old traditions. The children had lost interest in his magical toys, preferring instead the latest gadgets and gizmos. Benjamin's heart was heavy with sadness, but he refused to give up. He decided to make one final journey through the village, spreading the magic of Christmas for one more time. As he walked, the snow fell softly around him, and the stars twinkled brightly in the night sky. Benjamin approached a small cottage, where a lonely girl sat by the window, her eyes filled with tears. He gently knocked on the door and presented her with a small, wooden box. The girl opened it to find a beautiful snow globe, with a tiny winter scene inside. "Shake it," Benjamin whispered to the girl. She did as she was told, and to her amazement, the snowflakes inside began to dance and twirl. The girl's face lit up with joy, and Benjamin knew that his mission was complete. From that day forward, the villagers remembered the old magician of Christmas and the magic he had brought. The children once again believed in the power of imagination and the joy of giving. And Benjamin, though no longer with them, continued to live on in their hearts, forever the old magician of Christmas..

Reviews for "Rediscovering the Magic of Xmas through the Old Magician kf Xmas"

1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "The old magician kf xmas". The story was overly predictable and lacked any originality. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth. The writing style was quite amateurish and the dialogue felt forced. Overall, I found the book to be a tedious read and would not recommend it to others.

2. Sarah - 1 star - "The old magician kf xmas" was one of the most boring books I have ever read. The plot was incredibly slow-paced and nothing really happened until the last few pages. The main character was unlikeable and his motivations were unclear. The writing was also very dry and lacked any sort of charm or liveliness. I struggled to finish this book and would not recommend it to anyone.

3. Robert - 2 stars - I didn't enjoy "The old magician kf xmas" as much as I had hoped. The storyline seemed promising at first, but it quickly lost its intrigue and became repetitive. The author's writing style was also quite simplistic and lacked depth. The characters were poorly developed and their actions often felt unrealistic. Overall, I found this book to be a disappointment and wouldn't recommend it to others.

4. Emily - 2 stars - I found "The old magician kf xmas" to be underwhelming. The narrative was disjointed and confusing, making it difficult to follow the plot. The pacing was also uneven, with long stretches of monotony followed by rushed and unsatisfying resolutions. The characters were uninteresting and lacked any real depth or complexity. I was hoping for a magical and captivating story, but unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations.

5. David - 1 star - "The old magician kf xmas" was a complete waste of time. The writing was terribly repetitive, with the same phrases and descriptions appearing throughout the book. The characters were forgettable and had no redeeming qualities. The plot was predictable and lacked any sort of originality. I was hoping for a magical holiday read, but this book failed to deliver. I would not recommend it to anyone.

Delving into the Life of the Old Magician kf Xmas