David's Hymn (With Old English)

David's Hymn

Behold Christ,       the ingenious cross-bearer,

the holy Savior,       a homestead gave

when He was,       the glory Son,

sin's destroyer,       Creator of the earth,

and there felled       Satan's kingdom.

Before the ruin       removed joy,

the first Adam,       earth's son,

lived healthily,       holy father of mankind

without sin;       but he tasted the fruit—

death of man came,       the living-inheritance died.

Then sent the Lord,       the Ruler of Days,

Preserver with night-piercing sight,       darkness to Adam's kind.

Drove to misery,       the Potentate of Heaven.

All creation wept;       joy wrenched from Adam.

But the Lord sent       a beacon glorious,

a generous gift:       Author of Life on victory-field,

mighty Warrior on beam      utterly crushed Devil;

a blest-with-victory man.       That was a blessed day!

Yet thanes heeded       cursed counsel,

turned to evil       cursed High Father.

Still God loved,      gave light to souls.

The Second Adam,       Almighty Son of man,

quickened mankind       with mercy,

bounteous in benefits;       darkness fled,

thanes received sight—      the Trinity's work!

All mankind sings;       earth itself rejoice;

then was sung triumph's song,      song of the righteous Father,

The Savior with power       mankind's sin cured;

Thus we must now praise       the Creator of Salvation!

- D. Benning

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I was so into Old English (Anglo-Saxon) whilst an undergraduate at UC Davis that I took as many courses in pre-Shakespearean literature as possible and ended up taking several classes in Old English and related literature.  I thoroughly loved it.  I was even encouraged by my professor to try my hand at writing in Old English and submitting it to an annual contest.  (No.  Not even an honorable mention for my efforts.)  But the above is the translation of the following Old English words.  I know that it is correct, having gone back and forth with my professor several times over the wording and the syntax.

Dauides Ymen

Hwæt Crist       cræftig rod-bora,

halig Hæland       hám-steall geaf

þa he wæs,       wuldor-Sunu,

synna sceaða,       Scyppend eorþes,

and þar gefylde       feondes rices.

Foran fiell       geferste wynne,

ærest Adam,       eorþes sunu,

gefilde hælig,       halige ielda fæder,

butan synne;       ac biergode ofet—

mann-cwealm com,       cwic-erfe for eode.

Þa sende Drihten,       dæges Rædend,

niht-eáge Nergend,       nifol Adam-cynne.

Fordrif to wan-sceaft       Wealdend heofone.

Weop eal gesceaft;       wynne forless Adam.

Ac Brego sende       beacen þrym-fæst,

lac ungieðe.      Lyf-fruma on sige-wang,

Hæle on beame       bana forþrycte;

sigor-eadig secge.       Þæt wæs sælig dæg!

Hwæþre hedon       þeowas þeostre ræd,

hweorfon to beale,      heah-Fæder wiergodon.

Þeah God lufende       lecht sawolum geaf.

Se oþere Adam,       almihtig byre rince,

cwycode menn       mid mild-heortnesse,

duguþa éstige;       dwolman fleah,

Þecgon sihðe þegnas—       Þrynesse weorc.

Eal menn sungon;       middangeard gefeah;

ða wæs sigeleóþ galen,       sang rihtwis-Fæder.

Hæland mid meahte       mannes synna lacnode.

For on sculon nu herigean       hæles Scyppend.

 

- D. Benning

Summer's Requiem

One of my favorite poems is Caedmon's Hymn
                         You can listen to the old poem here.....

Ruins of Whitby Abbey, where Caedmon lived and worked.

Isn't that rich?     :-)

Now we must praise Heaven-kingdom's Guardian,
The Maker's might and his mind-thoughts....

I love the imagery; 
     I love the alliteration; 
          I love the cadence and the crunchiness of the language.


We, however, don't speak Old English anymore.... 
The closest would be the folks in Iceland. 
                                                            Seriously!

But we can use these techniques in modern poetry.  Old English poems were composed of lines divided in half by a break, a caesura, a marked pause.  Then instead of rhymes, alliteration was the key to how the ancient bards crafted their words.  They also had a rich stock of word images called kennings.  For example, instead of referring to the ocean or the sea, they would call it the whale-road.

Fall foliage at peak in Pocahontas County, W.Va.

Here is an attempt, written after seeing pictures of the first fall colors touching the woods back east and the auroras lighting up the skies in the north.

Summer’s Requiem 

Now I will tell,        icy tintinnabulations,
Mighty mysteries,        bitter majesties,
Aerie’s icy displays;        autumn advances
On wintry wings,        whispering in silence.
Summer’s salvo        long silenced;
Flowers fade,        long nights fall.
Nightlights’ silent scream        nature’s darkly flowers,
Auroral displays,        breath-taking sky dancers,
Drape heaven’s roof,        Raven’s road,
With majesty and wonder,        mighty Lord’s Mantle;
Then kisses icy kinfolk,        snow-bound kith,
And sings remembering—        Summer’s requiem.

 

- D. Benning

Full sky aurora over Norway, early 2015, by Sebastian Voltmer
Source: http://dailyawesomeness.com/a-full-sky-aurora-over-norway/