John Samuel Tieman: Lauds
the Templar strolled the cloister
after the dawn office
the sky was a sort of orange
like he had seen in the East
Seamus Heaney: Pangur Bán
Next thing an unwary mouse
Bares his flank: Pangur pounces.
Next thing lines that held and held
meaning back begin to yield.
John Samuel Tieman: Caedmon’s Hymn
One evening, as the monks sang and played the harp, Caedmon slipped away. He knew no songs. Thus embarrassed, he spent the night sleeping with the animals. In his dream, “someone”, Bede says, approached Caedmon, and asked him to sing of the beginning of all things.
Audio: Merry it is while summer lasts (1225 AD)
. Recorded by Ensemble Belladonna, “Miri it is while sumer ilast” is considered the oldest surviving secular English song. Unfortunately only one verse survives: Miri it is while sumer ilast … Continue reading
Anonymous: Wynter Wakeneth Al My Care
Here is a lovely winter lyric (c. 1310) in its original Middle English spelling, followed by a modern English paraphrase. Wynter wakeneth al my care, Nou this leves waxeth bare; … Continue reading
