(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.
no subject
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