Sounds in Anglo Saxon Poetry
Click the play arrow on the player below to hear the poem.Try to read along as you listen.
.....................Forð near ætstop,
nam þa mid handa hige-þihtigne
rinc on ræste -ræhte ongean
feond mid folme; he onfeng hraþe
inwit-þancum ond wið earm gesæt,
Sona þæt onfunde fyrena hyrde,
þæt he ne mette middan-geardes,
eorþan sceatta on elran men
mund-gripe maran: he on mode wearð
forht on ferhðe; no þy ær fram meahte
Hyge wæs him hin-fus, wolde on heolster fleon,
secan deofla gedræg; ne wæs his drohtoð þær,
swylce he on ealder-dagum ær gemette.
Gemunde þa se goda mæg Higelaces
æfen-spræce, up-lang astod
ond him fæste wiðfeng; fingras burston:
eoten wæs utweard, eorl furþur stop.
Mynte se mæra, þær he meahte swa,
widre gewindan ond on weg þanon
fleon on fen-hopu; wiste his fingra geweald
on grames grapum; þæt wæs geocor sið
þæt se hearm-scaþa to Heorute ateah.
As you can hear, Anglo-Saxon poetry doesn't make the words at the end of the lines rhyme like
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full.
Instead, several words in each line make the same sound, a bit like
Click the play arrow on the player below to hear the poem.Try to read along as you listen.
widre gewindan ond on weg þanon
fleon on fen-hopu;
