Old English Poem Dream of the Rood

Old English Poem Dream of the Rood

THE POEM

Attend to what I intend to tell you

 a marvellous dream that moved me at night

when human voices are veile in sleep.

In my dream I espird the most splendid tree.

Looming aloft with light all around,

The most brilliant beam. That brigh tree was covered with gold; gemstonges gleamed

Fairly fasthioned down to its foot, yet another five were standing

High up on hte crossbeam-the Lord’s angle behald them

Cast by eternal decree. Clearly this was no criminal’s gallows,

But holy spirits were beholding it there,

Men on this earth, all that mighty creattoin.

That tree was triumphant and I tarnished by sin,

Begrimed with evil. I beheld Glory’s trunk

Garnished with grandeur, gleaming in bliss,

All plated with gold; precious gemstones

Had gloriously graced the Lord God’s tree.

Yet I could see signs of ancient strife:

Beneath that gold it had begun

Bleeding on the right side. I was all bareft with sorrows;

That splendid sight made me afraid. I beheld the sign rapidly

Changing clothing and colors. Now it was covered with moisture,

Drenched with streaming,blood, now decked in treasure.

Yet I, lying there for a long time,

Sorrowfully beheld the tree of our Savior

        Until I could hear it call out to me,

The best of all wood began speaking words:

‘That was years ago-I yet remember-

That I was cut down at the edge of the forest

Torn up from my trunk. There powerful enemies took me.

Put me up to make a circus-play to lift upo and parade their criminals.

Soldiers bore me on their shoulders till they set me up on a mountain;

More that enough foes made me stand fast. I saw the lord of manking

Coming with great haste so that he might climb up on me.

Then I did not dare act against the Lord’s word

How down or fall to pieces when I felt the surface3

Of the earth trembling. Although I might

Have destroyed the foes, I stood in place.

Then this yound man stripped himself-that was God Almighty-

Strong and courageous; he climed up on the high gallows,

Brave in the sight of many, as he set out to redeem manking.

I trembled when the man embraced me; I dared not how down to earth,

Stoop to the surface of the ground, but I had to stand fast.

I was reared a rood; I raised up a mighty kind,

The heavens’lord; I dared not how in homage.

They drove dark nails into me; teh dints of those wounds can still be seen,

Open marks of malice; but I did not dare maul any of them in return.

They mocked both of us. I was moistened all over with blood,

Shed from the man’s side after he had sent up his spirit.

On that mountain I have endured many.

        Cruel happenings. I saw the god of hosts

Direly stretched out. Shades of darkness

Had clouded over the corpse of the Lord,

The shining radiance; shadows went forth

Dark under clouds. All creation wept,

Mourning the king’s fall: Christ was on the cross.

“yet from afar fewvent men came

To that sovereign. I saw all that.

I was badly curdenced with grief yet bowed down to their hands,

Submissive with most resolve. There tey took up almightly God,

Lifted him from that cruel torment. Then the warriors left me there

Standkng, blood all over me, pierced everywhere with arrows.

They laid him there, limb-wearied:

They stood at the head of his lifeless body.

There they beheld the lord of heaven, and the rested there for a while,

Spent after that great struggle. Then they set about to construct a sepulchre

Warriours in the slayer’s sight. Out of bright stone they carved it:

they laid the lord of victories into it. They began singing a lay of sorrow,

warriors sad as night was falling, when they wished ot journey back

warily far from that famous lord; he restoede there with few followers.

We, grieving there for a good while,

Stood still in place; the soldiers voices

Faded away. Finally men brought axes

To fell us to earth. That was a frightful destiny

They buried us in a deep pit. But thanes of the Lord,

Friends learned about me

Adorned me with gold and silver.

Now, amn so dear to me, you may understand

That I have gone through grievous sufferings,

Terrible sorrows. Now the time has come

So that far and wide men worship me

Everywhere on earth, and all creation,

Prya to this sign. On me the son of God

Suffered a time; therefore I now tower i

In glory under heaven nd I may heal

Any one of those in awe of me.

Long ago I became the most cruel punishment,

Most hated by men, until I made open

The right way of life to language-hearers.

So the lord of glory, guardian of Heaven,

Examlated me then over all forest-trees,

As Allmighty God before all humankind

Exalted over all the race of women

His own mother, Mary herself,

“Now I command you, my man so dear,

To tell others the events you have seen;

Find words ot tell it was the tree of glory

Aliighty God suffered upon

 for mankind’s so many sins

and for that ancient offense of Adam.

There he tasted death; yet the Redeemer arose

With his great might to help mankind.

Then he rose to Heaven, He will come again

To this middle-earth to seek out mankind

On Judgment Day, the Redeemer himself,

God almighty and his angels with him,

So that He will judge, He who has power of the Judgment,

All humanit as to the merits each

Has brought about in this brief life.

Nor may anyone be unafraid

Of the last question the Lord will ask.

Before the multitude he will demand

Where a sould might be unafraid

Of the last question the Lord will ask.

Before the multitude he will demand

Where a suould might be who in the Savior’s name

Would suffer the death He suffered on that tree.

But no one there need be afraid

Who bears the best sign on his breast.

And on this earth each sould that longs

To exist with its savior forevermore

Must seek His kingdom through that cross.

Then compelled by joy I prayed to that tree

With ardent zeal, where I war alone

With few followers. Then my heart felt

An urge to set forth; I have suffered

Much longing since. Now I live n hope,

Venturing after that victory-tree

Along more often than all other men,

To worhip it well The will ot do os

Is much in my heart; my protection

Depends on the rood. I possess but few

Friends on this earth. But forth from there

They have set out from worldly joys to seek the King of Glory

They dwell in Heaven now with the High-father

Living in glory, and I look forward.

Constantly toward that time the Lord’s rood

Which I beheld before here on this earth

Shall fetch me away from this fleeting life

And bring me then where bliss is eternal

To joy in Paradise where the Lord’s people

Are joined at that feast where joy leasts forever

And seat me there where evermore

I shall dwell in glory, together with the saints

Share in their delights. May the Lord be my friend,

Who on earth long ago on the gallows tree

Suffered agony for the sins of men:

He redeemed us and gave us life,

A home in Heaven,. Hope was made new

And blossomed with bliss ot those burning in fire.

The Son was cictorious in venturing forth,

Mighty and triumphant when he retured with amany,

A company of soulds ot the Kingdom of God.

The Almighty rul;er, to the jay of angels,

And all those holy ones come to Heaven before.

To live in glory, when their Lord retured,

The Eternal King to His won country.

The Dream of the Rood poem analysis--      click Here