The Battle of Maldon is an Old English poem that describes a real battle between the English and Vikings that took place in 991 AD. The summary is: The poem describes the battle preparations as the Viking troop advances towards the English shore. Byrhtnoth, the English earl, has his men form a shield wall to defend against the Vikings. A fierce battle ensues, with fighting on both sides. Byrhtnoth is able to kill one of the Vikings who wounded him before being killed himself. His men continue fighting bravely in his honor, but the Vikings ultimately defeat the English forces.

2. The Battle Of Maldon
The wolves of war advanced, the Viking troop,
Unmoved by water, westward over Pante,
Over the gleaming water bore their shields.
The seamen brought their linden-shields to land.
There Byrhtnoth and his warriors stood ready
To meet their enemies. He told his troops
To make a shield-wall and to hold it fast
Against their foes. So battle with its glory
Drew near. The time had come for fated men
To perish in that place. A cry went up.
The ravens wheeled above, the fateful eagle
Keen for his carrion. On earth was uproar.
Anonimous
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3. They let the file-hard spears fly from their fists,
Grimly-ground darts; and bows were busy too.
Shield received spear-point; savage was the onslaught.
Fighters fell dead, young men on either side.
Wulfmar was wounded. Byrhtnoth’s sister’s son
Chose death in battle, he was utterly
Cut down by swords. But there at once was vengeance
Paid to the Vikings, for I heard that Edward
Struck one of the, so fiercely with his sword,
Restraining not the stroke, that at his feet
The fated warrior fell to the earth.
For this prince, as soon as he had time,
Gave grateful thanks to his bold chamberlain.
So the stout-hearted warriors stood firm
In battle, and the young men eagerly
Competed who might first with point of spear
Deprive a fated soldier of his life;
And all around the slaughtered fell to earth.
Steadfast they stood, as Byrhtnoth stirred them on
Bade every soldier concentrate on war
Who wished to wine renown against the Danes.
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4. A warlike Viking soldier then advanced,
His weapon raised, his shield up in defence,
And strode towards the earl, who in return
Marched resolutely forth to meet the churl.
They each intended evil to the other.
The seaman hurled a Frankish javelin
So that the leader of the troops was wounded.
He thrust out with his shield so that the shaft
Was shattered and the spear sprang back again.
Enraged, the hero seized his spear and stabbed
The proud, rash Viking who had wounded him.
No novice was the earl, he made his spear
Pass through the young man’s neck, guided his hand
So that he pierced the pirate fatally.
This is one of my favourite poems. I find epic stories fascinating, so this is why
I chose this one.
I think that in this part of the poem the Vikings are depicted as the bad guys,
and their strength is not shown in the same way as Byrhtnoth’s warriors. They are
described in a really negative way. I don’t ‘like’ that. But if we consider that the
Vikings are the invaders, they are the bad guys.
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5. Voluspá
52. Surt fares from the south | with the scourge of branches,
The sun of the battle-gods | shone from his sword;
The crags are sundered, | the giant-women sink,
The dead throng Hel-way, | and heaven is cloven.
53. Now comes to Hlin | yet another hurt,
When Othin fares | to fight with the wolf,
And Beli's fair slayer | seeks out Surt,
For there must fall | the joy of Frigg.
54. Then comes Sigfather's | mighty son,
Vithar, to fight | with the foaming wolf;
In the giant's son | does he thrust his sword
Full to the heart: | his father is avenged.
55. Hither there comes | the son of Hlothyn,
The bright snake gapes | to heaven above;
. . . . . . . . . .
Against the serpent | goes Othin's son.
Anonimous
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6. 56. In anger smites | the warder of earth,--
Forth from their homes | must all men flee;-
Nine paces fares | the son of Fjorgyn,
And, slain by the serpent, | fearless he sinks.
57. The sun turns black, | earth sinks in the sea,
The hot stars down | from heaven are whirled;
Fierce grows the steam | and the life-feeding flame,
Till fire leaps high | about heaven itself.
58. Now Garm howls loud | before Gnipahellir,
The fetters will burst, | and the wolf run free;
Much do I know, | and more can see
Of the fate of the gods, | the mighty in fight.
This is a part of the Voluspá, the first poem of the Poetic
Edda, a collection of Scandinavian poems. These stanzas (52-
58) describe the Ragnarök. We see Odin’s and Thor’s deaths,
and how their ‘nemesis’ are killed as well.
I think that the Ragnarök is an irony, it is caused by the
actions that try to prevent it. The gods try to avoid it and end up
bothering those who will lead it. They bring the death of the
world, just as common human beings nowadays, don’t they?
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7. 59. Now do I see | the earth anew
Rise all green | from the waves again;
The cataracts fall, | and the eagle flies,
And fish he catches | beneath the cliffs.
60. The gods in Ithavoll | meet together,
Of the terrible girdler | of earth they talk,
And the mighty past | they call to mind,
And the ancient runes | of the Ruler of Gods.
61. In wondrous beauty | once again
Shall the golden tables | stand mid the grass,
Which the gods had owned | in the days of old,
. . . . . . . . . .
62. Then fields unsowed | bear ripened fruit,
All ills grow better, | and Baldr comes back;
Baldr and Hoth dwell | in Hropt's battle-hall,
And the mighty gods: | would you know yet more?
And these stanzas (59-62) show the
beginning of a new world, and how Hor
and Baldr would resurrect united. And
this, union, is what we would need, in our
world, now, so that all ills grow better.
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8. i like my body when it is with your
i like my body when it is with your
body. It is so quite new a thing.
Muscles better and nerves more.
i like your body. i like what it does,
i like its hows. i like to feel the spine
of your body and its bones, and the trembling
-firm-smooth ness and which i will
again and again and again
kiss, i like kissing this and that of you,
i like, slowly stroking the, shocking fuzz
of your electric fur, and what-is-it comes
over parting flesh ... And eyes big love-crumbs,
and possibly i like the thrill
of under me you so quite new
Edward Estlin Cummings
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I think this is an erotic poem describing
a sexual encounter. I don’t like the use
of the pronoun I in small letters. For me,
this represents a problem of identity and
Personality. Because of this, I see the
author as seeing himself as an object in
the relationship. I see his relationship as
something he enjoys, but in a
submissive way.

9. Txt Tlk
Hey bby, Ily, see u soon
Alright bby gurl, u on ur way
I'm drivin now bootyfull, b der n 2 mins, k?
M'kay, b carefull bby
Okay, d car is right n front of me
Okay bby, txt me back nyways?
4sure bby, but brb, rear end collision
Lol, u ok?
Yeah, lol, guy in front of me flew out windshield
LOL! People r bad drivers. should have worn seatbelt
ROFL brb again, veering off road in 2 lite post
LMAO
UhOh. bby gurl, ima b late, being air lifted 2 hospital
Ugh! How lng?
IDK! Brain surgery n junk. Hopefully not 2 lng. Tell you when done.
Okay, ttyl
d0c Mart3n
I like the way this poem is written; it was new to me, kind of funny too. I think the poem
shows how individualistic and selfish people can be, as well irresponsible. We see how
indifferent to others’ accidents the two people talking are, and this is how most of our
society is. Perhaps the guy who wrote it only meant to amuse, but I think this is much
deeper than that.
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10. The Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
ALTHOUGH I shelter from the rain
Under a broken tree
My chair was nearest to the fire
In every company
That talked of love or politics,
Ere Time transfigured me.
Though lads are making pikes again
For some conspiracy,
And crazy rascals rage their fill
At human tyranny,
My contemplations are of Time
That has transfigured me.
There's not a woman turns her face
Upon a broken tree,
And yet the beauties that I loved
Are in my memory;
I spit into the face of Time
That has transfigured me.
d0c Mart3n
I imagine that the narrator of this is an old person
who feels proud of the time they lived in and of
the experience gained. I don’t get why this is a
lamentation; I believe the poem depicts a positive
scene.
Besides, this is how I see age, as a succession of
Events and achievements, and of gained wisdom.
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