Could it not also be a bard?  It was fairly common across the ancient world for bards to recite epic poems in banqueting halls.

The bard would symbolise knowledge and the passing down of histories.  The warriors may be sitting blithely because they are having their own great battles re-counted to them.

Just another idea to throw into the mix, but on reading that poem that was the impression I received.

I thought I would come back to the rose idea.  The rose itself is feminine but I think the thorn is masculine, it is the protector of the rose.  Almost like protection but more primal as I feel a jealous streak through it as well, like a man getting angry because another man tries to steal his woman.

I see it as a warning, to re-think my plans as my current course could lead me to bring down the "wrath of the gods."

I haven't actually meditated on this rune yet but those are my initial thoughts based on what I have read here.

Hello, I'm Cara, found my way here from TW.

Glad to have somewhere to chat runes as I find that most places are Tarot-centric, and I just never clicked with Tarot the way I do with runes.

I'm getting back into studying them using the set I made from beach pebbles several years ago, I stopped doing a lot of stuff while I was pregnant and now my son is 2 I am getting back into it.

Thurisaz. Quite an intriguing rune indeed. Though all runes are quite fascinating to study and work with, I'm for some reason drawn to this particular rune kind of like a moth to the light. Well, let's take a look at the fundamentals.

"Thurisaz: (TH: Thorn or a Giant.) Reactive force, directed force of destruction and defense, conflict. Instinctual will, vital eroticism, regenerative catalyst. A tendency toward change. Catharsis, purging, cleansing fire. Male sexuality, fertilization. (Thorr, the Thunder god, was of Giant stock.)Thurisaz Reversed or Merkstave: Danger, defenselessness, compulsion, betrayal, dullness. Evil, malice, hatred, torment, spite, lies. A bad man or woman. Rape?" - http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/meanings.html

I had this rune tattooed into my upper arm along with a Tiwaz rune back in early December due to intentions of enlisting into the US Marine Corps in some months from now and that I'll need all the strength and valor that I possibly can. Since then, I've been faced with a couple of serious situations that could've ended pretty badly on either my end and/ or the other person(s) involved. I've had some pretty convincing moments in the first half of this year alone to tell me that the runes are more powerful than I thought they were (I'm an initiate as of October). Anyway, let's say that above description for the Thurisaz scores a home run dead on and mind you, I haven't been meditating on the description, so this is not a result of delusion. Delusion is insanity. But perhaps because this is my ruling rune as well. This rune has somehow been a part of me all along.

As for the confusion, I profoundly believe Thurisaz to have an inherent connotation with Thor in every aspect with a little connotation with the Giants, but first and foremost Thor. How so? Well, for one, each day of the week is named after a certain god. Thursday is Thur's (or Thor's) day as Wednesday is Wotan's/ Woden's day and Sunday is Sunna's/ Sol's day.

True. Thank you.

Speaking for myself, I don't call on Gods. Personally, I believe divination works due to Jung's concept of synchronicity.   But I would assume different things work for different people, a kind of "to each their own" approach.

I also think it might depend on what answer you're looking to get from the runes:  if you wanted, say, insight into your past to understand why you behave a certain way, I would think Urdh would be a logical choice; but for the most part, all three of them collectively weave the web of wyrd and so, you'd probably not want to single any one of the Norns out.

Now, being that I'm still fairly new to runic divination, I have a question regarding it. When verbally addressing the gods and/ or goddesses, does one particularly ask the Norns (Urdh, Verdandi, and Skuld) for advice?

Hi Belwenda, 

Sorry about the delay approving your membership; I wasn't sure who you were at first, and your email addy seemed a little dubious at first.  Then I saw you came from the trad forum.
The only reason I'm so discerning over memberships is, the last time I ran a forum, it got swamped with spambots, so naturally I'm a little more cautious these days.  Thanks for your patience.

Thanks for letting me in, what a fun idea, Runes seem more enigmatic than cards to me, I'm sure I will learn a lot from all of you, I see many familiar names. Hi everyone

I-Ching is an ancient Chinese divinatory method, based on the yin/yang concept, usually using physical sticks of varying length, which are dropped in random and the resulting pattern referenced against a Book of Changes. 
In and of itself, it's as  valid and respectable a system as any other, but, it has nothing to do with runes, and I don't know why new-age authors keep feeling the need to "mix'n'match" like they're shopping at Marshalls. I guess maybe a few are genuinely looking to find some "new" secret, or maybe just a way to combine different interests of theirs, but I suspect most are just trying to cash in on a previously nonexistent niche, like trying to discover a new ice cream flavor by mixing existing ones - without regard for the centuries of traditional use and the culture behind those systems.