(Disclaimer: embarrassingly enough for someone who worships the Gods with Old English names, I don't yet know much Old English at all, so the below is based on reading lots of translations and commentaries)
Very nice rendition! It seems fairly literal, which I think is good for a version meant to be used as the basis for meditation. A lot of versions out there put a lot more of the translator's spin on things.
That being said, for some spin that I have personally found helpful, I have very likely mentioned these before, and/or you may already know about them, but two takes on Rune Poems I like a lot are: - Stanzas of the Old English Rune Poem by Gary Stanfield: this book presents an *incredibly* thorough discussion of the language, poetry, and meanings of each stanza of the OE Rune Poem, and presents it explicitly as something meant to be meditated on Rune by Rune. I don't always agree with Stanfield's conclusions, and sometimes I think there's more value in finding a connection yourself than having it spelled out, but this book is fantastic for doing a very deep dive. - Eagle's Mead by Eirik Westcoat: This book is *very* different. Westcoat wrote this while completing the Nine Doors of Midgard course and his masterwork for the Rune Gild. As such, the Rune Poems he presents are very much *not* literal translations, but rather are rather good renditions of one person's informed take on the Thorsson/Rune Gild stream of interpretation.
I also have, but have not really read, an anthology called The Rune Poems, edited by P.D. Brown and Michael Moynihan, which is a collection of both translations of the various Rune Poems, and modern compositions modeled on/inspired by the ancient poems. Includes material by Westcoat and Thorsson, among many others.
Always glad to see how this project is coming along.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2023-03-22 04:39 pm (UTC)Very nice rendition! It seems fairly literal, which I think is good for a version meant to be used as the basis for meditation. A lot of versions out there put a lot more of the translator's spin on things.
That being said, for some spin that I have personally found helpful, I have very likely mentioned these before, and/or you may already know about them, but two takes on Rune Poems I like a lot are:
- Stanzas of the Old English Rune Poem by Gary Stanfield: this book presents an *incredibly* thorough discussion of the language, poetry, and meanings of each stanza of the OE Rune Poem, and presents it explicitly as something meant to be meditated on Rune by Rune. I don't always agree with Stanfield's conclusions, and sometimes I think there's more value in finding a connection yourself than having it spelled out, but this book is fantastic for doing a very deep dive.
- Eagle's Mead by Eirik Westcoat: This book is *very* different. Westcoat wrote this while completing the Nine Doors of Midgard course and his masterwork for the Rune Gild. As such, the Rune Poems he presents are very much *not* literal translations, but rather are rather good renditions of one person's informed take on the Thorsson/Rune Gild stream of interpretation.
I also have, but have not really read, an anthology called The Rune Poems, edited by P.D. Brown and Michael Moynihan, which is a collection of both translations of the various Rune Poems, and modern compositions modeled on/inspired by the ancient poems. Includes material by Westcoat and Thorsson, among many others.
Always glad to see how this project is coming along.
Cheers,
Jeff