This Saturday, there is an A&S competition at Novice/Challenge of the Heart on the theme of seven virtues: Humility, Largess, Honor, Prowess, Faith, Temperance, and Courage. I sort of belatedly thought I should write something for it.
This is the draft and, if I don't get time to edit it, the final copy. It's not bad, but I think the meter is too regular - Anglo-Saxon poetry is supposed to mix up the five Sievers types a bit, and I overuse Type E a lot in this poem.
Documentation is kind of cruddy, without good line number references or anything, because I was mostly working from memory (with fact-checking online). I know what "The Battle of Maldon" is about, even if I have to ask Wikipedia the name of the protagonist, you know?
The poem is framed with a letter to Daniel, bishop of Winchester, based on one Daniel wrote to St. Boniface. It's meant to help explain why an Anglo-Saxon poetic form is being used to advertise a set of virtues which aren't entirely Anglo-Saxon in nature...
To Daniel, honored bishop of
Your grace, great was my gladness upon the receipt of your
letter. To put the Christian virtues
into a form understood and admired by the people of
Temperance and humility are not readily seen by our warriors as virtues, as mead-drinking and boasting are popular past-times. But I have endeavored to show, with examples from their own stories, how these things are not virtues at all but rather vices.
May God keep you in his love.
Herewith follows the poem:
Listen, oh lords as light fades in sky
Scop’s words spoken in stillness of night
Now you will know needful good acts
Great fame they bring and God’s grace besides
Valiant the theign who virtuous is
Seven the signs which such solace bring
Courage is first as kin well know
Bold in battle brave on field
Fast you stand as soldiers should
Byrhtnoth at Maldon mighty courage had he
Faithful Wiglaf fled dragon did not
Strong-hearted heroes Hold fast with them
Sword-strength is needed by skillful men
Keen the bright blade blood it will spill
As Eadmund, prince proved well in war
Brunaburgh’s battle bested the Scots
Skillful the soldiers sent the Norse homeward
Bright metal is good but mind must master it
Great the king who generous is
Rich ring-giver renown through the land
Hrothgar was one in Heorot hall
To the great Geat gifts he gave many
Gold-hilted sword great piles of gems
No trifle spared That was good king!
Words well-spoken wonderful are
Honest the man who honors his words
Speak of no deeds if do them you cannot
Utter no oath if observe it you cannot
Beowulf boasted the beast he would slay
This thing he did though theigns were killed
Word-oath to Hrothgar willingly kept
Beowulf boasted brash the young hero
Unferth asked if acts he could do
Questioned the Geat querulous was
Deep in his cups drunk on gold mead
Harried the hero Heorot’s savior
Right is the riddle written of bees
Mighy the men their mead can lay low
Bested by bees - bitter that boast!
Clear-headed warrior conquests shall have
Drunk in the hall, dead on the field
Brave men boast bold words speak
Wise the war-leader who watches his words
As oaths are kept so keeps he his boasts
Never says more than sword-arm can do
Proud promises bring woe, punishment, too
When one is wanting in words not kept
Call them back in no one can do
Old Beowulf’s men mighty theigns they
Twelve all told him truly they stand
At dragon’s den devilish lair
Eleven all left Lost are their names
Considered cowards unkept their oaths
Braggarts take heed hear this lesson
Finally, faith defends the stout heart
A crowning gem Grace without peer
Without belief what becomes of men?
Food for crows Kings of worms
Even the greatest are ground into dust
No word-fame brings bliss that compares
No scop’s song lasts til sun’s final setting
Best of all kings brightest treasure gives
Serving the Savior salvation brings
Life eternal everlasting joy
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