Old English Poems | Examples


An Immortal's Prophecy

The stench of endless days clings to my name;
My folly, like a rust, but stings not him.
A meek heart paid for by relentless blame,
Youth’s bitter wine- a draught forever grim.

Past twilights reel in cadences untrue,
I fall, a penitent within the flame;
Bound to repentance- ash where roses grew,
My voice, the echo of a sullied name.

O sickle, strike the valleys we once promised,
Lay low the ghosts that haunt my dwindled shore.
Let golden breaths on iron fleece be kissed,
And singe the thought that kept me wanting more.

So let the world unspool what once I wore,
That even ruin might return me pure.

I Cannot Sea

I CANNOT SEA

A life unto of ebb & flow
The Masters seated down below
Or high above
I cannot tell
Heaven may beholden hell

My heart cries out
but I think I died
It doesn’t pound that it did before
For where I am, I am not to sure

I did not bleed, I did not scorn
Where did this rath come forlorn

I thought I’d paved the way to free
Yet here I am, alone - 

I cannot sea

Except a fair few off light that dwindles
I’m thwarted & it pains me so
To just feel pain and so much woe

I cannot sea

Am I on a boat, Am I on a yacht
These memories that not be forgot

I think I know what’s happening here
It is my turn to take the steer
I never wanted it this way
But now I’m steering all the way

Until the next one, next from me
Beholds from not is from the sea
That dwindling light, passage unclear
The ebb & flow is so near
It may be your time soon to come
That pounding heart that is now done

I cannot sea
Can you see?


An Old English Proverb

Enough is as good as a feast.

To What Shall I Liken Thee?

Shall I liken thee to a sunrise?
Thou art the sunrise of a fall morning's glow.
Thou art the oaken breeze that bids you "hello."
Shall this describe to what I liken thee? No.

Shall I liken thee to a sunset?
Thou art a gold sunset, from the hills only seen,
To orange ribbon atop the city's crystal beam,
Reflecting heavenly diamonds, infinite gleam.

But no, this shall not be to what I liken thee.
For words fail to describe what thou meanest to me.

Premium Member Athelstan King of Albion

when Merlin 
knelte to Æthelstan
he bid'th wealthe
acrosse the lande
an' lo thy King
giveth his hande
presidin' o'er all Albion

from Alfred
in whose shadowe ran
emerg'd the court
of Æthelstan 
an' on to rule
the state-ly man
for all the souls of Albion


Tale of Woe

Thy young maiden,
Peck her Lily flower a shake. 
A brittle sound of break,
Sobbing till tears make.
 
Bare feet on wet grass. 
Alas, her life, soon ‘twill pass.

Grace of Ones Own

Many of word from mouth and quill 
Non too sacred than mind still
Look unto ones deepest of eyes
One cannot see whats hiden inside
A wiseman once told I
Never utter what thy thoughts hide
For one has thy power to behold
Power of stories untold
From enemies we may fight
To thy dear beloved wife
Nor thy fellow countryman 
To thy one trusted hand
Not a single soul doth hear
thy mind doth keep so dear

Old English Church

Ways to pep up the pulpit and pew,
gave way to ennui.
The clergy went away to get help
and never came back.

Eventually, thundering sky's cracked 
stone, spire, and gable;
neglect and cold winds
nibbled at sculptured arch and buttress.

Where once was a stained-glass light,
weeds and tree-bones reach.
Where once cassocks swept
mice now nest
while above, priestly owls perch.

Eventually, walls crumbled
into niche and cranny.
Amid the spacy ruin
Jackdaws laid their speckled eggs -
angels fan danced by moonlight.

Epic

The blade buried     beneath the burning.
Old hopes lost, back    in the lash of battle.
One man walks      along the winded mount,
Turning slowly,      the sun-silvered seas
Draw his heart     horizon-ward, his eyes
Focus in search     of the lone fluttering sail,
The boat that bears     his bloodied King
Away from heavy war     forged ruin and waste,
Across the widening      waters. Taken to
The healing houses     of the Holy Isle.
Once flowing banners     torn down, bitter flood
Of his enemies' hate     hastening to undo
The loyal legacy.     One still loves.
His fate not to     fight hard, and fall
At the side of     his sovereign Lord.
Ordered and honoured     to keep heart-hope alive.
Over gorse crowned cliffs     he carries away
The heavy stewardship    of the infant prince.
His ward now to     watch and rear, until
His time is full ready     to revenge his father's fall.

Old English Lovemaking

Thou didst not make me come
I came of my own accord
now you tell me that you're bored
how can I improve on my sweet Lord

Thou art a ruffian - unskilled in the
art of lovemaking, no tantric sex
more like Titanic with a hex
I always know what's coming next

Who wrote my script and said that:
I wouldst love you no matter what?
maybe it was you more likely than not
I must be thankful, pretend at what I've got

Now thou art coming again - never mind my pain
Why is it that my loss has to be your gain?

Grace Thou Love Nary Forlorn----Old English

Her grace, she moves in poetry,
Tread cobbled path of wandering heart;
She speaks in moonlight spirit,
Thine treasure chest come undune,
'Till I lose mine feathers,
Frozen by her sole divinity;
She, found to mine lost,
Twixt these street exile redefined by her golden glory,
pounding on my chamber door;
I must forego the counsel of my twisted devils,
Rise from lay 'pon this brow beaten soul;
Swell into her wonder... lift love anew!
Heaven restore mine black gloom;
Her grace, she moves in poetry,
Spilleth' over, soothing matrimony.


~JSLambert                                      

                                                                             ©    PoeTTreeZ Publishing

The Wicked Deceiver Written In Old English

Art thou the wicked deceiver- who cometh dawn or dusk
Dweller in the heavens- who wrought scorn unto thy Creator 
Cast aloft- becoming caddish as cag-mag- a drab locked away in Bridewell’s gaole
Grinder seeker- who stood a midst the knowledge tree and offered nary but one
One bite will make thee greater than He- one taste shall wit thy mind 
Maker of gray betwixt black and white-a savory eater of men’s souls
Syllan thy lies for the Christ did rise for thou shalt tarry no more

Mote thy forkth tongue- shake-down thee to ever more hell
 Henceforth to dwell ever the more ye will- in mere of fiery waters
Waiter of the wittle of Good and Evil- Forsooth! Forsooth! Thy dream
Dost not the coddish fear and tremble while thou holdth Bilbo high
Hearth lay thy saber- blood stained pudhly with the souls of mankind 
Monstrous shadowed deceiver- no longer doth the grave highly boast 
Beautifully bequeath a love of mankind- a son of David- the Christ did rise
Resist not the righteous-the judge of Adam sits at the Creator’s right side
And thy kingdom shall tarry no more-no more
And Thy kingdom shall tarry no more

Old English Rescue

Old English Rescue

My dearest love, my glory
The bearer of this note
Is but a trusted servant
Can read not what I wrote
But knows how much I love thee
And how on thee I dote
Tis folly you should think of me
A rouge and treacherous man
I pledge eternal love to thee
And I’ve a rescue plan
Thy father and thy brother
Pledge their full support
I sail with the morning tide
To thy prison port
The minions of my father
Care naught of what I do
For they too know of true love
And support my love of you
Clothe thee thus in black
On the morrow’s moonless night
The tower’s door will be unlocked
Thy guards not in thy sight
My servant then will guide thee
To our rendezvous 
We’ll sail before the morning light 
Together, just we two
Henceforth know my dearest
My prayers and thoughts are thine
And though it be a fortnight
Thy future lies with mine

Mdailey	3/5/12

Ode To My Love (Old English)

What wondrous beauty lies within these eyes 
Fairest creature in face and Divine form 
Thy vision lovelier than summer skies 
In thee, my true happiness now reborn 
Lay with thine loving hand upon my heart 
Breath of love whispered soft upon my cheek 
Please, fear not that we shall be torn apart 
For our love be strong, not shallow or weak
Hold my love close, keep it forever near 
Clasped in thy sweet beauty, thy shining light
Draw upon its strength, to silence thy fear
To guide thee through shadows in darkened night 
  Oh beauty, until thou art mine once more 
  Remember my love be steadfast and pure

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