The Poem of Ista
| The Poem of Ista | |
|---|---|
| World | Roshar |
| Universe | Cosmere |
| Featured In | The Stormlight Archive |
“Taking the Dawnshard, known to bind any creature voidish or mortal, he crawled up the steps crafted for Heralds, ten strides tall apiece, toward the grand temple above. ”
—A quote from The Poem of Ista, as transcribed by Jasnah Kholin[1]
The Poem of Ista is ancient poetry from Roshar by an unknown author.[1]
It is notable for its mention of a Dawnshard, including a description of its ability to "bind" any creature. It also indicates that the Dawnshard was in the possession of an unknown male entity. It references a temple surrounded by very tall steps built for Heralds.[1]
Jasnah Kholin includes an excerpt from the poem in one of her notebooks while researching Voidbringers and Urithiru. Jasnah finds it curious that Dawnshards are mentioned often in early mythologies, but are largely ignored by modern scholars.[1] The term "Ista" is not mentioned in the excerpt, and its meaning is unclear.