With back to the battle I stand yet unwounded,
My armour unbattered, my sword yet unnotched.
No foe has fallen to my ancient sword,
Shall I stand disgraced before my comrades, my lord?
Am I not Unferth, a great warrior renowned,
My name a terror, my head yet unbowed?
How long will I waver between terror and pride
Shall Unferth be first or shall I be denied?
Disgraced in my kin's eyes I shall appear
Unless by great deeds I prove I have conquered my fear
Or ... if I should act brave, but take no great risks
Perhaps none will note that something's amiss.
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Unferth is a character from the old norse tale Beowulf, one of the most beautiful old english poems on the earth. He is rather a coward, and when Beowulf shows up at court he tries to make him look foolish and weak, and fails miserably when Beowulf answers his boasts and needling comments with accounts of brave deeds. I was trying to capture some of Unferth's vaccilations in this poem while showing his good side too. However, I have been trying too hard I think. It needs to have another stanza of twelve lines, but that will have to wait. (It is supposed to be 12, 11, 10; 12, 11, 10 etc. with rhyming couplets in ... well I can never see the meter in a poem, so it is just supposed to be in the same meter, whatever that may be.) Post now, alter later.
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A quiet location where the ink flows intermittently to the honor and glory of God. It is intended to be a haven for Catholic writers and an encouragement, for them and for its author, to actually write. Philothea is greek for "Lover of God" and the author hopes that it shows in his work. So take rest with wine and bread at the end of the day good sirs. Come in, and welcome.
2 comments:
One of the most beautiful old english poems? That not much of a compliment considering that there is probably something like seven old english poems left in existence. Beowulf is a big fish in a small pond. :)
That is all too true. Ah well, I guess one can only go so far with a second-hand complement in the first place.
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