Saxon Poems - Poems about Saxon

King Alfred the Great modern English translations by Michael R Burch

KING ALFRED THE GREAT MODERN ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

King Alfred the Great (circa 849-899) was the first English king to be a notable scholar, poet and translator. Alfred has been credited with translating Latin works of Boethius into Old English (i.e., Anglo-Saxon English), although it is not known if he did the translations himself, assisted, or just

Alfred the Great modern English translations by Michael R Burch

KING ALFRED THE GREAT MODERN ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

King Alfred the Great (c. 849-899), arguably the first great king of England,  may have done more to lay the groundwork for English literacy and literature than any other English monarch. And he was quite the scholar himself, although there is no consensus that the following translations were

Medieval Poetry Translations VIII by Michael R Burch

These are English translations of Medieval poems written in Old English.



The Battle of Maldon
anonymous Old English/Anglo-Saxon poem, circa 991 AD or later
translation by Michael R. Burch
 
…would be broken.

Then he bade each warrior unbridle his horse,
set it free, drive it away and advance onward afoot,
intent on deeds of arms and dauntless courage.

It was then that

Widsith the Far-Traveler, Part III, translation of the ancient Anglo-Saxon poem

Widsith the Far-Traveler, Part III
ancient Anglo-Saxon poem
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

I was also with Eormanric for many years,
as long as the Goth-King availed me well;
he gave me six hundred shillings of pure gold
beaten into a beautiful neck-ring!
This I gave to Eadgils, overlord of the Myrgings
and my protector when I returned home,
a precious adornment for

Widsith the Far-Traveler, Part II, translation of the ancient Anglo-Saxon poem

Widsith the Far-Traveler, Part II
ancient Anglo-Saxon poem
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Hrothulf and Hrothgar, uncle and nephew,
for a long time kept a careful peace together
after they had driven away the Vikings' kinsmen,
vanquished Ingeld's spear-hordes,
and hewed down at Heorot the host of the Heathobards.

Thus I have traveled among many foreign lands,
crossing the earth's breadth,
experiencing both goodness

Widsith the Far-Traveler, Part I, translation of the ancient Anglo-Saxon poem

Widsith was a traveling minstrel who "sang for his supper" but may have been prone to exaggeration...

Widsith, the Far-Traveler, Part I of III
anonymous Old English/Anglo-Saxon poem, circa 680-950 AD
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Widsith the wide-wanderer began to speak,
unlocked his word-hoard, manifested his memories,
he who had travelled earth's roads furthest
among the races of men—their tribes,

The Wanderer, Part III, translation of the ancient Anglo-Saxon poem

The Wanderer, Part III 

The wise man contemplates these ruins,
considers this dark life soberly,
remembers the blood spilled here
in multitudes of battles,
then says:

“Where is the horse now? Where, its riders?
Where, the givers of gifts & treasure, the gold-friend?
Where, the banquet-seats? Where, the mead-halls’ friendly uproars?

Gone, the bright cup! Gone, the mailed warrior!
Gone, the glory of princes!

The Wanderer, Part II, translation of the ancient Anglo-Saxon poem

The Wanderer, Part II

Awakening, the friendless man confronts the murky waves,
the seabirds bathing, broadening out their feathers,
the hoar-frost, harrowing hail & snow eternally falling…

Then his heart’s wounds seem all the heavier for the loss of his beloved lord.

Thus his sorrow is renewed,
remembrance of his lost kinsmen troubles his mind,
& he greets their ghosts with exclamations

The Wanderer, Part I, translation of the ancient Anglo-Saxon poem

The Wyrdes were like the Fates, controlling human destinies.

The Wanderer
ancient Anglo-Saxon poem
translation by Michael R. Burch

“The one who wanders alone
longs for mercy, longs for grace,
knowing he must yet traverse
the whale-path’s rime-cold waters,
stirring the waves with his hands & oars,
heartsick & troubled in spirit,
always bending his back to his exile-ways.”

“Fate is inexorable.”

Thus spoke the wanderer, mindful

Medieval Poetry Translations VI by Michael R Burch

These are English translations/modernizations of Medieval poems written in Old English and Middle English.

Exeter Book Gnomic Verses or Maxims
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

The dragon dwells under the dolmen,
wizened-wise, hoarding his treasure;
the fishes bring forth their finned kind;
the king in his halls distributes rings;
the bear stalks the heath, shaggy and malevolent.

Frost shall freeze,
fire feast on

The Wife's Lament

"The Wife's Lament" or "The Wife's Complaint" is an Old English/Anglo Saxon poem found in the Exeter Book, which has been dated to 960-990 AD, making it the oldest English poetry anthology. "The Wife's Lament" may be the oldest extant English poem written by a female poet. 

The Wife's Lament
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

I

In rebuttal of dictonarial doctrine on 'imput'

In my writes replies and poeming I often use a certain word
Therein..This word in truth 'is imput see.' Not sanctioned in
The current dictionary.? And yet the English langauge grand has
Been the work of tounge and hands, one of which is Saxon
West..Or Germanic..? If I pass the test? And 'im' within
Germanic tounge 'is the same as

Saxon Six

Free verse has
more going for it than this:
no rhyme pattern at all,
no use of meter.
One upside though...
over quick!


----------

A Seox (Anglo Saxon for 'six'), consisting of 6 unrhymed lines 3/7/6/5/4/3

Translations of the Oldest Rhyming Poems In the English Language

Translations of the Oldest English Rhyming Poems

The Rhymed Poem aka The Rhyming Poem aka The Riming Poem
Old English/Anglo-Saxon poem from the Exeter Book, circa 990 AD
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

(excerpt)
He who granted me life created this sun
and graciously provided its radiant engine.
I was gladdened with glees, bathed in bright hues,
deluged with joy’s blossoms, sunshine-infused

The Ruin In a Modern English Translation

THE RUIN 
an Old English poem about fate & destiny
modern English translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

well-hewn was this wall-stone, till Wyrdes wrecked it
and the Colossus sagged inward...

broad battlements broken;
the Builders' work battered;

the high ramparts toppled;
tall towers collapsed;

the great roof-beams shattered;
gates groaning, agape...

mortar mottled and marred by scarring hoar-frosts,
the Giants’ dauntless strongholds decaying with age...

shattered, the

• Short Saxon Poems
• Famous Saxon Poems
• Best Saxon Poems
• Read Saxon Poems
• Long Saxon Poems
• Saxon Quotes