beowulf slept in a gory meadhall

     This is possibly my proudest writing moment.  My friend Liz is to be given credit for the opening lines, as she said in Anglo-Saxon Lit. class one day, "Anyone lived in a gory meadhall/ with up so floating many word-hoards."  That was in the spring of 2014.  Many months later, these words came to mind and I decided to go the whole hog.  The structure and rhyme scheme are taken from E. E. Cummings' "anyone lived in a pretty how town," and the story (surprise) is Beowulf.  Enjoy!

beowulf slept in a gory meadhall

-- g c connolly --

beowulf slept in a gory meadhall

(with up so floating many word-hoards)

ring, hrothgar, monster, bone-house

he swam his didn't he slew his did

Wiglaf and men (both bulky and frail)

sailed with beowulf, road of whale

they mourned their isn't, wish't heorot freed

sword, helm, torque, mead

grendel gulped (but only a few

and down he forgot as tempers flew

geat, munching, arm, grapple)

that was-arm hurt him more by more

when by mom and mere by thief

she saw his wound she cried his grief
dam by pond and fury strong
beowulf's death was all to her

gremlins, nasties, beowulf
shrieked their curses and broke their blades
(death, hell, mouth of whale) they
killed him never they lost that brawl

wyrm, snake, gold, take
(and only the thane can begin to explain
how dragons are apt to pillage to plunder
with oh so guarding many gold-hoards)

one day beowulf died i guess
(and dragon dead in rocky space)
Wiglaf treasure saw, lookt wide-eyed
ring by ring and torque by torque

pyre by pyre and dirge by dirge

and tear by tear they weep their loss
grendel and beowulf earth and barrows
one by spirit and one by blood

Wiglaf and lords(without their king)

trouble, outrage, vikings, warring

reaped his sowing and with much pain

co-mi-ta-tus...?