The Wanderer
When not Dion’s song
An older lament about
The way we lived in medieval
Language (translated), too
A thousand years ago and more
In northern climes
After war, famine, disease, and
Dissolution
The end of family
Of all mortal ties
All that was left was the
Wanderer who had to live
On words, on songs
That might eke out
Some charity
In inhospitable days
clcouch123 
December 29, 2015 at 4:17 am
That brings back memories of English literature classes and one of my favorite teachers. I wrote a paper on The Seafarer and The Wanderer; he read the Old English aloud for me, so I would have an idea of the rhythm/beat. I like your poem.
December 29, 2015 at 10:22 pm
Thank you! I enjoyed studying “The Wanderer” and other poetry of the time in a class I took in graduate school. The class was Old English. I didn’t need it for my major or anything; I was simply interested. I enjoyed studying the poetry especially as well as the riddles (which were a kind of poetry). I’ve not heard the poems mentioned in quite a while. I appreciate your remembrances–and you’re writing a paper!
December 29, 2015 at 11:15 pm
English was one of my college majors, and I have always enjoyed writing. My journalism teacher in college had been my father’s English teacher when he was in high school. I also participated in high school declamation, because I had … terminal stage fright? I got to Region in the competitions, one year, District, the rest. Leonard Bird, my teacher for that course, was fantastic and went elsewhere, the year I graduated from college. He did good and was appreciated by lots of people.
December 30, 2015 at 1:56 am
Wow, if you had stage fright, then you really took it on directly, didn’t you? Fantastic! I like hearing about the good teachers you’ve had. Thanks.