Some Anglo-Saxon culture, and comfort…
Dear friends.
The current situation with the virus made me remember of a 10th century poem in Old English, or Anglo-Saxon.
It’s called Deor, after the scop (pron. ‘shop’), or bard, who narrates it. I thought I’d share it with you as it is very apt for the situation we all find ourselves in. It’s a lament, recounting various bad times, but each stanza ends with the hopeful refrain which the translation I’m posting gives as “That passed by, so may this.”
J.R.R. Tolkien translated it as
“Time has passed since then, this too can pass”
There are a fair few versions on YouTube but I’ve posted this one because it has subtitles and because the American chap reciting it does so with a wonderfully unafected manner. It feels direct and modern. The fact that he is American completes the circle I think. This poem links people across thousands of miles and a thousand years.