Dream of the Rood

Completed at last following a phenomenally long gestation.

The following is a translation of the original Saxon poem that inspired this.

It is rather lengthy.

The Dream of the Rood

Translation by Richard Hamer (1970)

Hear while I tell about the best of dreams

Which came to me the middle of one night

While humankind were sleeping in their beds.

It was as though I saw a wondrous tree

Towering in the sky suffused with light,

Brightest of beams; and all that beacon was

Covered with gold. The corners of the earth

Gleamed with fair jewels, just as there were five

Upon the cross-beam. Many bands of angels,

Fair throughout all eternity, looked on.

No felon's gallows that, but holy spirits,

Mankind, and all this marvellous creation,

Gazed on the glorious tree of victory.

And I with sins was stained, wounded with guilt.

I saw the tree of glory brightly shine

In gorgeous clothing, all bedecked with gold.

The Ruler's tree was worthily adorned

With gems; yet I could see beyond that gold

The ancient strife of wretched men, when first

Upon its right side it began to bleed.

I was all moved with sorrows, and afraid

At the fair sight. I saw that lively beacon

Changing its clothes and hues; sometimes it was

Bedewed with blood and drenched with flowing gore,

At other times it was bedecked with treasure.

So I lay watching there the Saviour's tree,

Grieving in spirit for a long, long while,

Until I heard it utter sounds, the best

Of woods began to speak these words to me:

"It was long past - I still remember it -

That I was cut down at the copse's end,

Moved from my root. Strong enemies there took me,

Told me to hold aloft their criminals,

Made me a spectacle. Men carried me

Upon their shoulders, set me on a hill,

A host of enemies there fastened me.

And then I saw the Lord of all mankind

Hasten with eager zeal that He might mount

Upon me. I durst not against God's word

Bend down or break, when I saw tremble all

The surface of the earth. Although I might

Have struck down all the foes, yet stood I fast.

Then the young hero (who was God almighty)

Got ready, resolute and strong in heart.

He climbed onto the lofty gallows-tree,

Bold in the sight of many watching men,

When He intended to redeem mankind.

I trembled as the warrior embraced me.

But still I dared not bend down to the earth,

Fall to the ground. Upright I had to stand.

A rood I was raised up; and I held high

The noble King, the Lord of heaven above.

I dared not stoop. They pierced me with dark nails;

The scars can still be clearly seen on me,

The open wounds of malice. yet might I

Not harm them. They reviled us both together.

I was made wet all over with the blood

Which poured out from his side, after He had 

Sent forth His spirit. And I underwent

Full many a dire experience on that hill.

I saw the God of hosts stretched grimly out.

Darkness covered the Ruler's corpse with clouds

His shining beauty; shadows passed across,

Black in the darkness. All creation wept,

Bewailed the King's death; Christ was on the cross.

And yet I saw men coming from afar,

Hastening to the Prince. I watched it all.

With sorrows I was grievously oppressed,

Yet willingly I bent to those men's hands,

Humbly. They took up there Almighty God,

And from the heavy torment lifted Him.

The soldiers left me standing drenched with moisture,

Wounded all over with the metal points.

They laid Him down limb-weary; then they stood

Beside the corpse's head, there they beheld

The Lord of heaven, and He rested there

A while, tired after the great agony.

The men then made a sepulchre for Him

In sight of me. They carved it of bright stone,

And set therein the Lord of victories.

Next, wretched in the eventide, they sang

A dirge for Him; and when they went away,

Weary from that great Prince, He stayed alone.

Yet we remained there weeping in our places

A good long time after the warriors' voices

Had passed away from us. The corpse grew cold,

The fair abode of life. Then men began

To cut us down. That was a dreadful fate.

In a deep pit they buried us. But friends

And servants of the Lord learnt where I was,

And decorated me with gold and silver.

Now you may understand, dear warrior,

That I have suffered deeds of wicked men

And grievous sorrows. Now the time has come

That far and wide on earth men honour me,

And all this great and glorious creation,

And to this beacon offers prayers. On me

The Son of God once suffered; therefore now

I tower mighty underneath the heavens,

And I may heal all those in awe of me.

Once I became the cruellest of tortures,

Most hateful to all nations, till the time

I opened the right way of life for men.

So then the prince of glory honoured me,

And heaven's King exalted me above

All other trees, just as Almighty God

Raised up His mother Mary for all men

Above all other women in the world.

Now, my dear warrior, I order you

That you reveal this vision to mankind,

Declare in words this is the tree of glory

On which Almighty God once suffered torments

For mankind's many sins, and for the deeds

Of Adam long ago. He tasted death

Thereon; and yet the Lord arose again

By his great might to come to human aid.

He rose to heaven. And the Lord Himself,

Almighty God and all His angels with Him,

Will come onto this earth again to seek

Mankind on Doomsday, when the final Judge

Will give His verdict upon every man,

What in this fleeting life he shall have earned.

Nor then may any man be without fear

About the words the Lord shall say to him.

Before all He shall ask where that man is

Who for God's name would suffer bitter death

As formerly He did upon the cross.

Then they will be afraid, and few will know

What they may say to Christ. But there need none

Be fearful if he bears upon his breast

The best of tokens. Through the cross each soul

Nay journey to the heavens from this earth,

Who with the Ruler thinks to go and dwell."

I prayed then to the cross with joyous heart

And eagerness, where I was all alone,

Companionless; my spirit was inspired

With keenness for departure; and I spent

Much time in longing. Now my hope of life

Is that I may approach the tree of triumph

Alone more often than all other men,

Honour it well; my wish for that is great

Within my heart, and my hope for support

Is turned towards the cross. I have on earth

Not many noble friends, but they have gone

Hence from earth's joys and sought the King of glory.

With the High father now they live in heaven

And dwell in glory; and I wait each day

For when the cross of God, which here on earth

I formerly beheld, may fetch me from

This transitory life and carry me

To where there is great bliss and joy in heaven,

Where the Lord's host is seated at the feast,

And it shall set me where I afterwards

may dwell in glory, live in lasting bliss

Among the saints. May God be friend to me,

He who once suffered on the gallows tree

On earth here for men's sins. Us He redeemed

And granted us our life and heavenly home.

Hope was renewed with glory and with bliss

For those who suffered burning fires in hell.

The Son was mighty on that expedition,

Successful and victorious; and when

The one Almighty Ruler brought with Him

A multitude of spirits to God's kingdom,

To bliss among the angels and the souls

Of all who dwelt already in the heavens

In glory, then Almighty God had come,

The Ruler entered into His own land.