Challenging Poetry

Níðhöggr

consider Níðhöggr—deep
in the depths, where
the world tree's roots
spread and burrow and
the only visitor is a gossiping
squirrel, the dragon
lies trapped, gnawing—and
someday, he'll chew through
the root, and finish the last
of the ignoble dead,
and the world tree will fall,
and the end of things will
come, with ice
and giants, and the death of gods.

line count: 14
prompt: land animals