The Dream of the Rood
Cynewulf
	I
Lo, I will tell		the best of dreams
That came to me dreaming		in the midst of the night
When living men		had sought their rest.
It seemed that I saw		the noblest of trees
Aloft lifted,		wound with light,
Brightest of wood;		all that beacon
Was flooded with gold,		and gems stood
Fair on the earth beneath;		there were five more
Up on the crossbeams.		The Lord’s angels all gazed upon it
Fair throughout creation		– that was no felon’s gallows –
But there beheld it		holy spirits,
Men upon earth,		and all this noble creation.
Wondrous was the victory-tree,		and I stained with sins,
Wounded with wrong.		I saw the tree of glory
Clad with honour,		shining joyful,
Girded with gold;		and noble gems
Had worthily clasped		their Maker’s tree.
Yet through that gold		I could see afar
The struggle of poor ones,		when it first began
To sweat on the right side.		I was all troubled with sorrows,
Fearful was I for the fair sight;		I saw that eager beacon
Change its raiment and colour;		now it was bedewed, wet,
Stained with blood poured out;		now wound with treasure.
Yet I, lying there		a long while,
Gazed heart-repentant		on the Healer’s tree,
Until I heard		that it spoke aloud;
It uttered words,		that best of wood:
	II
"It was long ago,		I yet remember,
that I was torn down		at the wood's end
torn from my place.		They took me there, strong foes,
they set me up as a gazing-stock		bade me lift on high their felons.
Men bore me on their shoulders,		till on a hill they set me,
many foes fastened me there.		Then I saw mankind's Lord
swiftly come with courage,		for He willed to mount on me.
Then dared I not,		against the Lord's word,
bend or break,		when I saw
the earth trembling.		I might there
have felled all my foes,		but I stood fast.
then He stripped Himself, the young Hero,		that was God Almighty,
strong and firm-hearted		He mounted the mean gibbet;
noble-hearted in the sight of many		He would set free mankind.
I shook when the Prince clasped me,		but I durst not bow to the earth,
fall to the ground,		but must needs stand fast.
A Rood I was raised aloft,		I lifted the mighty King,
Lord of Heaven,		I durst not bend.
They drove me through with dark nails,		on me the marks are plain,
wide wounds of hate.		I durst not harm any of them.
They mocked us both together		I was all wet with blood
poured from the Man's side		when He sent forth His soul.
There on the hill		I underwent
many bitter things.		I saw the God of Hosts
sorely stretched out.		Darkness there
had wrapped in clouds		the Ruler's Body,
its fair radiance.		A shadow went forth,
wan under clouds.		All creation wept,
bewailed the King's death,		Christ on the rood.
But there came from afar		eager nobles
to Him all alone;		I beheld all that.
Sore was I troubled with sorrows,		but I bent down to the hands of men
humbly, with hearty will.		There they took Almighty God,
lifted Him down from the heavy pain.		They left me standing
wet with blood;		I was all wounded with shafts.
They laid Him down, limb-weary,		they stood at His Body's head;
they gazed on Him, Heaven's Lord,		and He rested there awhile,
tired from the great strife.		They began to make His grave
in the sight of His foes.		They carved it from the bright stone,
they laid in it the Lord of Hosts.		They began to sing a sorrow song
alone in the evening tide.		Then they went away,
weary from the great crowd.		With a few He rested there.
	III
We were there grieving		a good while;
we stood in our place.		A cry went up
from the heroes there.		The body grew cold,
the fair soul-house.		Then someone began
to fell us to the earth;		terrible was that wyrd!
They dug for us a deep hole;		yet there the Lord's thanes,
His friends,		found me
and set me then		in gold and silver.
Now mayest thou hear,		my beloved hero,
how I have borne		the bale of evils,
of sore sorrows.		Now is the time come
that men over earth,		and all this noble creation,
shall give me  honour		far and wide.
They pray by this bright sign;		and on me God's Son
suffered once;		for that I am shining now,
lifted high under heaven;		and I can heal
any of those		who bear me reverence.
Once was I		the greatest of torments,
most hateful to men,		until I made wide
the way of life		to speech-bearers.
Lo, He has honoured me,		the Prince of glory,
over all the trees of the wood,		He, the Keeper of Heaven,
even as the Almighty God,		for mankind's sake
honoured his Mother,		Mary herself,
the most worthy		of all women.
Now I bid thee,		my beloved one,
tell of this sight		to other men;
unveil in words		that this wood is glorious
since God Almighty		suffered on it
for the many sins		of all mankind,
and for Adam's deed		done long ago.
There He tasted death		yet the Lord arose
with great might		so to help men.
Then He mounted to Heaven;		thither He shall come
into this middle-earth		to seek mankind
on Doomsday,		the Lord Himself,
Almighty God,		and His angels with Him.
Then He will give,		He who wields doom forever,
judgment to each one,		as he earned it before
in the swift-passing		days of life.
Nor will anyone		be unafraid
of the dread words		that the Wielder will say.
Then shall He ask		before those many men
which of them, for the Lord's name		willed to taste
of bitter death		as He did on the Cross-beam.
But they shall then fear,		and think a little
what they could say		to Christ in answer.
Nor need anyone		be then afraid
who bears in his breast		the best of beacons,
but through the rood		each shall seek a kingdom,
every soul		come from earth-ways
who with the Wielder		wills to dwell."
	IV
I prayed then to the beam,		blithe in mood,
with hearty will,		when I was alone
and few near me.		Then was my heart's thought
urged on its far way,		oft it had borne
times of weary longing.		I have hope of life now,
that I shall go seek		the victory tree;
more often now		than all other men
I honour it well.		My will is bent to it,
strong in my heart,		and my hope of safety
goes straight to the cross.		I have now but few
friends on earth,		but they are gone hence
from the world's joys,		seeking the King of glory.
They live now in Heaven		with the High Father;
they dwell in light,		and I lingering
long for that day		when the Lord's rood
which here on earth		I once gazed upon
will come to fetch me		from this fleeting life,
and bring me there		where is great bliss,
joy of heaven,		where the Lord's folk
sit feasting		in bliss unending,
and set me there		where I may forever
dwell in glory,		safe with the holy ones,
and taste their blessedness.		May the Lord be my friend
who once suffered		here on earth
on the gallows tree		for men's sins.
He set us free		and gave us life,
a heavenly home.		Hope was made anew
with blossoms and with bliss		where He bore burning pain.
The Son was victory-fast		in His far-going,
mighty and enriched		when He came with many,
a spirit-army,		into God's kingdom,
the Almighty Lone-Wielder		was bliss to angels
and all holy ones		who ere in heaven
dwelt in glory		when their Ruler came,
Amighty God,		where His homeland was.
	End
"The Dream of the Rood," trans. by Mother Margaret Williams, RSCJ, in Word-Hoard (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1940).