The Wisdom Poem
(Originally read out as Alaric's entry in the Peter Clemoes Reading Prize, 2000. Alaric didn't win, but was kindly awarded a bottle of wine from Simon Keynes for his encomium of the ASNaC department. Subsequently printed in the Gesta ASNaCorum (Summer 2000), 16-17, from which this recension differs slightly in orthography, punctuation and metrical balls-ups (all mistakes presumably to be put down to dodgy scribes; and the fact that this is very late Old English). For further panegyrics on the department, see notes for prospective ASNaCs.) |
Wille ic secgan mid soþwordum
on gydde spræcan geongdagas mine:
hwider ic wende ond hwæt ic funde;
hu geweox ic ond wode, hu ic wisdome sohte.
Ærest on Æglesbyrige on ealde tide
þær Cuþwulf cwom and Cromwell æfter
ond William se horsunu wulf on leode:
mæroste menna on middangearde.
Ac nu Eallaric eac, þa ic up weox,
to scole wæs ic gesended, sælum bedæled,
hean of hame horswege ofer.
Þær ic sittan sceolde sumorlangne dæg;
rimcræft ful oft, runa ferhþleasa,
ond fræncgeþeode feowru wintras,
ond Niwengliscgewrit ond Natsig stær
syxum dreag ic snytre feor.
Ac for hwan modsefa min ne geswurce
þa ic on wræclastum for wyrde for?
For þam wisdom ic sohte, on wanstedas hogode:
hwonan cwomon word? hwonan cwomon Wealas?
hwær wæron wealhstodas? hwa wæs Earðor
eðelweard Bretenes oððe Cerdic cyning oððe Cynewulf
þe wordcræft wæf oððe Weland þe hringas gæf?
Lareowas maðelodon, mælum tæhton:
'Ne frin þu æfter unræde be ealdereorde!
Dysig ertu Ælric, mid gedwolscipe sprecest!
Asca næfre bi Angelcynne:
on Pitte þence, ne on Peohtaleode;
ne Ælfred cyning ac on Ovide smeag.
Cum þu ofer to Engliscgewrite
hwær man ne gewryceþ ac win drinceþ;
Wearþ þu wita stæres þe wordcræft ne cnaweþ:
An ertu Ælric on Asnacleode,
oferfar þu hider ac onfo min wisdom!
Gedwolscipe þe ne duge on þa deorcan sidan cum!'
Hwæt! Þa ic gemunde last minne for þam sume larbok cwæþ:
'Man hicgan sceolde hyrnum deorcum:
On Græntebrycge garberendas,
widgecuðe ond wighearde
on gewinnum tæcinge ond wisdomes æscplega,
wuniaþ on wice þe West-Stræt heht.'
Þa ic lædengeþeode leornode swiðe
gedefe bec dæge ond nihte,
stær ond lare on Stentones bec
ac songas ond spell sohte ic ond rædde,
oððæt ellenful ond utfus mid æðelum welum
þurh wintres woman cwom on West-Stræte
on Asnacgeferum onfongen wearþ.
Freondscipe þær ic funde mid freolicum gesiðum:
Andig and Olifer andgitfulle,
Richeard and Ros radost to helpan
Moire ond Meartin mihtig on leornunge
(se manna mildost, micelræd gyfeþ mec)
ond Dafid and Simon domlicne ahafene,
and leorneras eac þe lefdon iu
Lapicg beralic bradost on eaxlum
ond Powl þe wode on Peohtaleode,
freondas ful manige, fultume holde.
Fugol fleah on storme, eode frofre bidæled,
wides gewealce gecynsed, on wolcnum, mid snawe behringed:
on engum anpaðum woruldes wod ic isigfeðrum.
Oððæt her healduru ic mette ond inne hyht geseah:
fyr bi flette onæled, foldbold beorhte gewyrmed.
Her is leoht and lufu, larum ond freondum,
her eðel ic ah ealfela wynna.
Nu wende ic heonan ne wat ic hwider;
ac gif ic meahte giftas wolde ic sellan
feoh and fela maðma swa fymest hi woldon,
regen reades goldes ond hringa seolfra
to leanianne leorneras her.
For wisdom nis me nan, ne wordcræft genoge to þam.