and write poetry.
That is, I was thinking there should be more poetry done in the Anglo-Saxon style using kenning. Recently, I was thinking about how much fun it is to describe things in lengthy poetic phrases. My favorite from reading Anglo-Saxon poetry, oh so many years ago, was the way they described the sea as the whale's road.
So, naturally, when this sprang to mind recently I decided I should write my own poem using kenning. Oh right, I haven't defined it yet and you may not wish to look it up just now, being as eager as you are, I am sure, to read my poem. So, I'll just define it for you. Kenning is when you use a poetic phrase to describe a word instead of just using that word. Rather than saying you rowed a boat across the sea you would say that you rowed a boat across the whale's road. A kenning for dragon would be fire-breather. It's not a difficult poetic concept, nothing like conforming to a strict meter. However, I think it's a lovely literary device.
Right, so now that we've defined kenning, I won't keep you in suspense any longer. I know you are all dying to hear a little Anglo-Saxon styled poetry. What would your day be without it? Bleak. I know. Don't worry, I understand your concern about the dearth of kenning in modern society. So, without further ado, here is the word pile of the day:
I make myself comfortable in the ocean's sand-box;
As the birds' highway lifts my hair in playful delight.
I build a tan grainy castle for the rolling water to devour;
While my toes find freedom from their leather plight,
My fingers find purpose in their tiny ground-pebble creations;
And my face grows warm with smiles in the day's ending light.
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