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a collection of literature from poets, bards, songwriters, and skalds in the SCA

Ich herde a swete song syngyng

olivier's picture
olivier
Poem (Canso): 

Ich herde a swete song syngyng
That fyllyd the pastoure grene.
It sang of strengthes and ioyes
That euer man hath sene.
In my herte was the one
Who dauncyng swete had bene.
Her haire was ful of floures,
Nowe of my loue Ich kene.

Translation: 

I heard a sweet song being sung
That filled the green pasture.
It sang of such strength and joy
That ever man has seen.
In my heart was the one
Who had been dancing sweetly.
Her hair was filled with flowers,
And now I recognize my love.

Documentation / Explanation (Razo): 

This is a a Middle English translation of my Old French poem Ois une vois douce chantant. I wrote this ME version for a book I printed and bound for Atlantian Twelfth Night AS XL; while I was more interested in the OF songs, I knew the book's reader base would not be - so I wanted to provide facing translations for those who might otherwise feel lost (or at least more lost than if they just read these ME poems). I did not base this on any particular lyric, but rather wanted to imitate the general style and voice of the broad 13th c. anonymous ME lyric repertoire.