May I of my own self
\nTruth\u2019s song reckon,
\nTell of my traverse,
\nHow I oft endured
\nDays of hardship
\nTimes of trouble,
\nBitter the breast-care
\nThat I suffered,
\nKnown at my keel
\nMany a care\u2019s hold,
\nDread wave-fall
\nWhen wary night-watch
\nFound me often
\nThere at the ship\u2019s stem,
\nWave-tossed, by cliff-wall.
\nCold-fettered
\nMy feet
\nFrost-bound
\nIn cold clasp,
\nWhere cares seethed then
\nHot at the heart;
\nHunger within tore
\nThe sea-weary soul.
\n\u2026<\/p>\n
from the Anglo-Saxon original; excerpt from the abridged translation by A.S. Kline\u00a0\u00a9 2010<\/p>\n
Reproduction in accordance with the translator\u2019s permission.<\/p>\n
\u2014<\/p>\n
Recently, I have been featuring poems that are themed around the sea. Last week I featured one of the most famous, Samuel Taylor Coleridge\u2019s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner<\/em>. The Anglo Saxon poem The Seafarer<\/em> is equally famous, but less well known,\u00a0I believe. However, I don’t believe any look at “sea” themed poetry would be complete without it.<\/p>\n It’s also one for lovers of the TV series’ The Vikings<\/em>. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n To read the full AS Kline translation, click on:<\/p>\n The Seafarer<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n If you fancy trying it in the Anglo-Saxon, see:<\/p>\n The Seafarer<\/em>; Anglo Saxons.net<\/a><\/p>\n —<\/p>\n \u201cThe Sea\u201d by Tim Jones<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cDover Beach\u201d (Excerpt) by Matthew Arnold<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cBreathing You In\u201d by David Gregory<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe are more than half water\u201d by Helen Rickerby<\/a><\/p>\nPrior \u2018Sea\u2019 Poems include:<\/h4>\n