Showing posts with label archery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label archery. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Hrafnars ýr (Ravens' yews)

In the Barony of Thescorre (located in Rochester, NY), we have excellent archers. In celebration of these fine folk, I wrote the following poem. It involves an attack by certain raiders from the Kingdom of Ealdormere and how they are repelled by the brave archers of the Barony. From what I understand, this  poem may well start a bardic war with our friends from across the Inland Seas.

If so, while I may perish, I will struggle to the end. To wit,


"HAVE AT YOU, WOLVES OF THE BREED!"

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Hrafnars ýr

Fram norðt vargsfjǫll fimvig
fjándr sigla svandalir;
nautfé kaupangs unýtast
níðings-sunnar rifsa
gangandi til gunnar
geirviðir af myrkskógi -
akraspillir ekrum
undír traðkað sunnhreinn.

Athos goði ýskelfir
ættfólk kallar snjallast:
Virkismenn varðatu
vals Yggs heim með hagl skóds.
Á barna gylðis berbeinn
bogaþruma dundu!
Með undreyr svartast svǫrrblóð
svíneyg ulfgrár dreiftu!

Svara ýglǫð Eadmund
enski : Bogar bendum
svarttyrf hrafnars sverjum
með skirir Hǫgna firra!
þrir skora bog-menn þermsligr
þrymu Ullar fljúgask.
Hergaupur harki
hagli Finna vinna.

Nóttfǫrullars norðr
nóra hlaunnar ǫrbursti.
Flyja dreypandi frenjar
til festa gaula hestr.
Of vǫll lunda válandi
vargmenn sigǫrs targa;
rekald vargham Roaks
hrylla til heim sigla.
The Ravens' Yews

War-skilled fiends from wolf-fells
northern sail swan-dales;
niðings-bastards pillage
townfolk's useless cattle.
Spear trees from dark woods
marching to battle -
destroyers of fields
trample sun-bright acres.

Athos bow-shaker, chieftain,
calls to his best kinsfolk:
Yeomen, Yggs gull's homeland
defend with weapons hail!
On Gyldis's-bastards bare-legged
rain down your bow-thunder!
With blackest blood-birds' wound-reeds
scatter swine-eyed grey-wolves!"

Edmund yew-glad English
answered: Bend we bows -
Raven´s black-turf we swear
to defend with Hogni's showers! "
Three score fittest bow-men
Join in Ullar´s Thunder;
Rabble of war-lynxes
suffer Sami's hail.

Little northern night-thieves'
buttocks arrow-bristle.
They flee to mooring-horses
dropping cattle lowing.
Across the plain of puffins
wolfmen – war-shafts targets;
Roak’s wolfish jetsam
horrid sail homeward.
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Kennings Used

svandalir > swan's dale > SEA
níðings-sunnar > níðings sons > RAIDERS
geirviðir > spear trees > WARRIORS
akraspillir > destroyers of fields > WARRIORS

vals Yggs > gulls of Ygg > RAVENS
vals Yggs heim > gulls of Yggs home > THESCORRE
barna gylðis > Gyldis's bastards > RAIDERS
bogaþruma > bow-thunder > ARROWS
undreyr svartast svǫrrblóð > blackest bloodbirds' wound-reeds > blackest ravens' wound-reeds > ARROWS
ulfgrár > grey wolves > RAIDERS

skirir Hǫgna > Hogna's showers > ARROWS
þrymu Ullar > Ullar's thunder > BATTLE
hagli Finna > Sami's hail > ARROWS

Nóttfǫrullars > Night thieves > RAIDERS
festa gaula > mooring horses > SHIPS
vǫll lunda > plain of puffins > SEA
sigǫrs targa victory (or war) shafts targets> arrows' targets > RAIDERS
rekald vargham Roaks > Roak's wolfish jetsam > RAIDERS


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