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The Word Exchange: Anglo-Saxon Poems in Translation
An anthology featuring 123 translations by seventy-four celebrated poets—including Seamus Heaney, Robert Pinsky, Billy Collins, Eavan Boland, Richard Wilbur, and many others.
Bilingual edition: Old English/Modern English.
Bilingual edition: Old English/Modern English.
573 pages, Paperback
First published December 6, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 24, 2011
Kudos to the editor who sold Norton on this off-the-wall project, a heroic pulling-together of a much wider range of Anglo-Saxon poetry than you get in the usual anthologies, spiffed up for an age that hasn’t demonstrated any great hunger for either Old English or poetry. The assumption at its heart is that modern-day poets—most of them of the big name, mainstream, reliably middlebrow variety—can bring over Old English with more art and verve than established scholars on the subject. By the end, I didn’t really agree. The translations vary in quality, faithfulness, and sympathy for the complex interplay of Christian and Germanic values that gives Anglo-Saxon verse its particular charge. It’s hard to believe that Billy Collins or Jane Hirshfield breathes very deeply in that world, and though the translations are consistently earnest and respectful, few seem especially inspired by their subjects, or show much feeling for the age they moved in. (That said, it’s Nick Laird’s thrilling take on “Field Remedy” that got me to buy the collection.)
The Old English appears on the facing page, and with a little practice you can glimpse just enough of the meaning to second-guess the “translators,” many of whom play fast and loose with line breaks and alliterative patterns for the sake of conversational flatness. I got a little too wrapped up in this stereoscopic reading experience to appreciate the translations as freestanding poems, but it’s as a convenient parking lot for the Anglo-Saxon versions of these works that I think the anthology really lives.
The Old English appears on the facing page, and with a little practice you can glimpse just enough of the meaning to second-guess the “translators,” many of whom play fast and loose with line breaks and alliterative patterns for the sake of conversational flatness. I got a little too wrapped up in this stereoscopic reading experience to appreciate the translations as freestanding poems, but it’s as a convenient parking lot for the Anglo-Saxon versions of these works that I think the anthology really lives.
August 8, 2023
- thought the approach of 70 different poets translating the poems was v creative + successful in demonstrating the multiplicity of voices in old english poetry, which i think was also rlly aided by the organisation of the book into different themes, showing the range of foci of old english poetry
- particularly enjoyed the ‘poems of exile and longing’ section, and found the images+themes shared but used differently by multiple poems to be interesting to explore (eg mutability, the sea)
- the ‘on translating english poetry’ section at the end gave some nice insights
- i do wish the poems had been given with a little bit of context, eg the source
- particularly enjoyed the ‘poems of exile and longing’ section, and found the images+themes shared but used differently by multiple poems to be interesting to explore (eg mutability, the sea)
- the ‘on translating english poetry’ section at the end gave some nice insights
- i do wish the poems had been given with a little bit of context, eg the source
July 2, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. With the information I've learned over the last few months from the History of English podcast, I was able to understand context better than maybe someone who would be coming to these poems unknowingly. The psychology of a warrior mindset combined with the conversion to Christianity is endlessly fascinating to me. When you add in riddles and charms, I'm sold.
Having the poems translated by different people is a stroke of genius. It makes the collection as a whole more accessible. I read from first page to last - straight through without growing bored or feeling weighted down by the tone. I will add here that the religious section is a bit tough if you aren't of that mindset. I may have skimmed some of the more fawning works.
I did get online and find various oral renditions in the Old English. Some of them were better than others, but all of them made me wish I could read the original included in the book.
Having the poems translated by different people is a stroke of genius. It makes the collection as a whole more accessible. I read from first page to last - straight through without growing bored or feeling weighted down by the tone. I will add here that the religious section is a bit tough if you aren't of that mindset. I may have skimmed some of the more fawning works.
I did get online and find various oral renditions in the Old English. Some of them were better than others, but all of them made me wish I could read the original included in the book.
July 31, 2013
On the whole, I like this approach. By having different poets take different approaches to the translations, you end up with a very eclectic poetry collection. Since the extant Anglo-Saxon poetry is by many different poets, it seems likely that Anglo-Saxon listeners/readers would have felt their collections were similarly diverse, and having only one translator squashes that versatility of voice.
Unfortunately, this great strength is also the collection's great weakness. As translations, many of these are, well, "free" to the point of bearing very little resemblance to the original. I don't recommend relying on these translations without consulting a more literal version as well (assuming you're not a geek like me who decided to give himself a crash course in Old English).
Obviously, Anglo-Saxon poetry isn't for everyone. But if you're curious about it, this is a very accessible way to give yourself an introduction.
Unfortunately, this great strength is also the collection's great weakness. As translations, many of these are, well, "free" to the point of bearing very little resemblance to the original. I don't recommend relying on these translations without consulting a more literal version as well (assuming you're not a geek like me who decided to give himself a crash course in Old English).
Obviously, Anglo-Saxon poetry isn't for everyone. But if you're curious about it, this is a very accessible way to give yourself an introduction.
June 8, 2011
My only reservation stems from my lack of knowledge in Old English. I somehow feel that a few of the translations may not evoke the original as accurately as they should -- each poem being translated or rather rendered into modern English by a different poet (with perhaps different standards?). Otherwise, a wonderful variety of literature from an age that is not often know for much besides Beowulf.
May 26, 2013
Get. This. Book. Now. The Anglo-Saxons and their poets totally kicked ass. What a world view, what verbal richness, what groovy riddles! I've been thinking a lot about translation recently, and this just gave me more to think about. I especially enjoyed the comments of a few of the translators at the end. This one's a keeper.
December 8, 2017
A good and very useful bilingual, (Anglo-Saxon - English) anthology.
April 2, 2025
This book includes the Old English along with the translation. It's wonderful for anyone wanting to get in touch with the poetic heritage of English. The book is divided into sections about "exile and longing," "historical battles," "living," "dying," "biblical stories," "prayers, admonitions, and allegories," and "remedies and charms." In turn, "riddle hoards" act as spacers between each of those sections, seven in total with ten riddles in each. The answers to the riddles are in the back of the book. Though I loved the pondering, it's a good thing solutions are provided because I would be a failure as an Anglo-Saxon.
The translations varied considerably. Some translators tried to mimic the form and alliteration, others decided on a more complete overhaul to render it in modern terms. The translators include both well known poets and people I have never heard of before. There's a 15-page section in the back of the book in which some translators reveal their process.
Overall, I found this book a quicker read than expected. The riddles sprinkled it with moments of delight and intrigue--and some sexual innuendo. It's a keeper for me primarily for its historical value and because I love the alliterative form of Anglo-Saxon verse. It's great to have something other than Beowulf for reference. Here are some examples of what's to be found in this book:
Song of the Cosmos, trans. Daniel Tobin [part]
To one who who with wisdom beholds the world whole
In the mind's clasp--the one who contemplates
What others gave voice to long ago
In thrumming rhythms and wide-reckoning songs:
Those kinsmen whose ken was strong, who with glee
And searching wit--with their bearing witness--
Drew forth common humankind's fullest measure,
Full mindful themselves of the weave of mysteries.
Riddle 60, trans. Jane Hirschfield [part]
I stood once by sand, near the sea-surge,
close by the shore, fast-rooted in my first life.
Few, almost none among men,
saw my solitude and dwelling place there,
though each dawn small waves would come to play,
covering me in the dark embraces of water.
Against a Wen, trans. Maurice Riordan [complete]
Pip, pip, nay small pippin
Here you have no home no welcome
Out you go to the cold hillside
There you'll find an older brother
Who'll place the herb upon your head
Then under the wolf's foot eagle's wing
In the claw's grip you'll wilt and wizen
Contract like charcoal in the fire
Wear off like dirt from the wall
Evaporate like water from the pail
Grow small as grain of linseed
Smaller than bone of earwig
Thus will you be gone for good.
The translations varied considerably. Some translators tried to mimic the form and alliteration, others decided on a more complete overhaul to render it in modern terms. The translators include both well known poets and people I have never heard of before. There's a 15-page section in the back of the book in which some translators reveal their process.
Overall, I found this book a quicker read than expected. The riddles sprinkled it with moments of delight and intrigue--and some sexual innuendo. It's a keeper for me primarily for its historical value and because I love the alliterative form of Anglo-Saxon verse. It's great to have something other than Beowulf for reference. Here are some examples of what's to be found in this book:
Song of the Cosmos, trans. Daniel Tobin [part]
To one who who with wisdom beholds the world whole
In the mind's clasp--the one who contemplates
What others gave voice to long ago
In thrumming rhythms and wide-reckoning songs:
Those kinsmen whose ken was strong, who with glee
And searching wit--with their bearing witness--
Drew forth common humankind's fullest measure,
Full mindful themselves of the weave of mysteries.
Riddle 60, trans. Jane Hirschfield [part]
I stood once by sand, near the sea-surge,
close by the shore, fast-rooted in my first life.
Few, almost none among men,
saw my solitude and dwelling place there,
though each dawn small waves would come to play,
covering me in the dark embraces of water.
Against a Wen, trans. Maurice Riordan [complete]
Pip, pip, nay small pippin
Here you have no home no welcome
Out you go to the cold hillside
There you'll find an older brother
Who'll place the herb upon your head
Then under the wolf's foot eagle's wing
In the claw's grip you'll wilt and wizen
Contract like charcoal in the fire
Wear off like dirt from the wall
Evaporate like water from the pail
Grow small as grain of linseed
Smaller than bone of earwig
Thus will you be gone for good.
May 20, 2023
For me, this compilation of Old English is carried strong by 1) The dual language format 2) the sheer volume of the Anglo Saxon corpus represented and 3) Seamus Heaney's marvellous rendition of 'Deor' - perhaps the best translation of that poem I have read and you will only find it here.
Beyond that, this collection is a mixed bag marred by some very foot-loose and fancy-free translations which utterly fail to capture the mood and the somber weight of much of these works.
These are some of the most moving and beautiful elegiac poems in history. Haunting laments that shine a light on a long lost world, yet somehow feels curiously real in our own time. To truly appreciate the work of the first literary works in the English, I am of the opinion a fidelity to the original is essential.
If you have an interest in the 'core' poems of the Anglo Saxon corpus, I would reccomend Alexander, Hamer or Williamson over this - all of whom have impressive collections and high quality translations available in print.
If you have an interest in how modern day literature figures interpret the oldest works in the English language, you will find much joy here.
Beyond that, this collection is a mixed bag marred by some very foot-loose and fancy-free translations which utterly fail to capture the mood and the somber weight of much of these works.
These are some of the most moving and beautiful elegiac poems in history. Haunting laments that shine a light on a long lost world, yet somehow feels curiously real in our own time. To truly appreciate the work of the first literary works in the English, I am of the opinion a fidelity to the original is essential.
If you have an interest in the 'core' poems of the Anglo Saxon corpus, I would reccomend Alexander, Hamer or Williamson over this - all of whom have impressive collections and high quality translations available in print.
If you have an interest in how modern day literature figures interpret the oldest works in the English language, you will find much joy here.
May 25, 2021
I picked up these book specifically because it's one of the largest repositories of Anglo-Saxon poems currently published that has both the original Old English on one page and the translation on the opposite page.
The way this collection is organised is really nice. The poems are thematically connected - religious, historical, songs about life etc - and each set is broken up by a collection of riddles that range from nature to objects. I was awful at guessing them (I got about three of the sixty-odd!) I suspect some of it was clever word play I couldn't understand in translation, but not enough to excuse my performance. Thank goodness there were answers at the back.<
As Beowulf was all I knew of Anglo-Saxon literature before reading this, I was rather surprised by how un-militaristic and un-heroic it all was. The poems tend to focus much more on religious themes (some of which really resonated with me, like the one extolling creation) and moralistic ideas. Definitely an interesting read for those interested in learning more about Anglo-Saxon literature.
The way this collection is organised is really nice. The poems are thematically connected - religious, historical, songs about life etc - and each set is broken up by a collection of riddles that range from nature to objects. I was awful at guessing them (I got about three of the sixty-odd!) I suspect some of it was clever word play I couldn't understand in translation, but not enough to excuse my performance. Thank goodness there were answers at the back.<
As Beowulf was all I knew of Anglo-Saxon literature before reading this, I was rather surprised by how un-militaristic and un-heroic it all was. The poems tend to focus much more on religious themes (some of which really resonated with me, like the one extolling creation) and moralistic ideas. Definitely an interesting read for those interested in learning more about Anglo-Saxon literature.
November 3, 2019
Having read and translated most of the Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records over the last four decades . . .
I really felt it was an idea with great potential to have a multitude of poets translate a large portion of what has survived of Old English poetry.
In execution, the project of "The Word Exchange" has, perhaps unintentionally, captured something of the various poetic quality of what has survived. Some Old English poems are truly great. Some are pedestrian. I would say the same about the poems of "The Word Exchange."
An unfortunate result of the project is that the translations are of tremendously variable quality. Some pieces are quite good, many are unreadably horrible. One or two are truly fine.
I think of Bentley's comment on Pope's translation of Homer " when I consider "The Word Exchange". Some of the poems are pretty poems, but vanish8ngly few of them give anything ay all like the experience of actual Old English poems.
I really felt it was an idea with great potential to have a multitude of poets translate a large portion of what has survived of Old English poetry.
In execution, the project of "The Word Exchange" has, perhaps unintentionally, captured something of the various poetic quality of what has survived. Some Old English poems are truly great. Some are pedestrian. I would say the same about the poems of "The Word Exchange."
An unfortunate result of the project is that the translations are of tremendously variable quality. Some pieces are quite good, many are unreadably horrible. One or two are truly fine.
I think of Bentley's comment on Pope's translation of Homer " when I consider "The Word Exchange". Some of the poems are pretty poems, but vanish8ngly few of them give anything ay all like the experience of actual Old English poems.
September 11, 2018
Essential reading for any contemporary English-language poet, whether a keyboard "page" poet or an out-loud "stage" poet. This compilation offers translations of captivating adventures, suspenseful battles, intriguing riddles, insightful maxims, bawdy humor, and much more. The commentary by translators (added at book's end) is priceless. Here's a gem: the undertaking of a translation was "every bit as sophisticated as the close critical reading" and "the most precise, intimate reading I'd done" (page 536, by Fiona Sampson).
March 10, 2018
This is a wonderful book. Texts from Anglo-Saxon translated by many poets into modern English. The texts include history, charms, riddles, laments— very interesting to learn about the structure of the poetry and the mindset from an interesting era- the mix of Christianity, English paganism, and Latin/Greek mythology.
October 26, 2017
The most interesting part of this book was the differences in how each poet approached the translations. Some were more literal, some were more poetic, but all with that recognizable Anglo-Saxon flair.
April 27, 2019
i really enjoy the rhythm of the Anglo-Saxon poetry and it was nice having the translation to go with trying to understand as mch of the Anglo-Saxon as possible.
February 17, 2025
Wonderful bilingual edition of Old English literature translated by a variety of contemporary translators.
March 12, 2025
3.5, really. It's great fun to read aloud.
September 12, 2011
A wonderful idea -- presenting Anglo-Saxon poems in the original side-by-side with their modern translations. Each poem translated by a different author -- some with more experience with Old English than others. I think it is so awesome that something like this exists.
Some of the poems really held my interest, while others did not. While the originals must have read as poetry, Anglo-Saxon meter is based more on alliteration, which can be hard to convey in translation -- with the result being that many of the translations didn't read as poetry to me. But the topics really resonated -- fear, glory, love, faith, and all the other things that make up lives, both then and now.
My favorite entries were the riddle hoards -- I'd gotten quite far through the book before realizing the answers were in the back. My success rate at guessing the answers was pretty abysmal. I especially appreciated the ones that lead one to believe one thing, but were really about another. Let's just say the one about something swinging by a man's thigh was not what I (or you!) thought it was.
For those interested, some of the poems in the book can be heard in the original at Poems Out Loud. They're wonderful to listen too -- it sounds like something that should be understandable, but isn't quite.
Although I'm not sure I can grasp all the wonderful things this book does, but I'm glad I read it.
Some of the poems really held my interest, while others did not. While the originals must have read as poetry, Anglo-Saxon meter is based more on alliteration, which can be hard to convey in translation -- with the result being that many of the translations didn't read as poetry to me. But the topics really resonated -- fear, glory, love, faith, and all the other things that make up lives, both then and now.
My favorite entries were the riddle hoards -- I'd gotten quite far through the book before realizing the answers were in the back. My success rate at guessing the answers was pretty abysmal. I especially appreciated the ones that lead one to believe one thing, but were really about another. Let's just say the one about something swinging by a man's thigh was not what I (or you!) thought it was.
For those interested, some of the poems in the book can be heard in the original at Poems Out Loud. They're wonderful to listen too -- it sounds like something that should be understandable, but isn't quite.
Although I'm not sure I can grasp all the wonderful things this book does, but I'm glad I read it.
November 2, 2011
If for no other reason, get this because it's the fattest collection of these poems in Old English you're likely to find - and the variety is remarkable, from charms to riddles to "Maldon" to "Andreas".
After a more-or-less straight read-through (of the mod. Eng. translations - reading the OE in any meaningful way would have taken me forever), that variety was, to me, the most salient element. I'd read Beowulf, some of the riddles, a fair selection of the "elegies" and some of the shorter "heroic" poems over the years, but hadn't spent any time with the poems inspired by the Old Testament, or the charms, or... well, there were some gaps that this book helped to fill.
The translations are, obviously, a mixed bag, coming as they do from many different poets. I know a *little* OE, so I was able to tell sometimes when the translators were up to something suspicious (thanks to the facing-page originals), but I eventually accepted that these are not intended to be scholarly editions - they're intended to work as poems, primarily, even if that entails some crimes committed against alliteration. And the thing is, the poetry really did shine out from time to time. There were a few instances where I questioned the translator's choices anyway, but in a collection this big and this good that doesn't detract too much.
Recommended for just about anyone who has a more-than-passing interest in Old English or poetry.
After a more-or-less straight read-through (of the mod. Eng. translations - reading the OE in any meaningful way would have taken me forever), that variety was, to me, the most salient element. I'd read Beowulf, some of the riddles, a fair selection of the "elegies" and some of the shorter "heroic" poems over the years, but hadn't spent any time with the poems inspired by the Old Testament, or the charms, or... well, there were some gaps that this book helped to fill.
The translations are, obviously, a mixed bag, coming as they do from many different poets. I know a *little* OE, so I was able to tell sometimes when the translators were up to something suspicious (thanks to the facing-page originals), but I eventually accepted that these are not intended to be scholarly editions - they're intended to work as poems, primarily, even if that entails some crimes committed against alliteration. And the thing is, the poetry really did shine out from time to time. There were a few instances where I questioned the translator's choices anyway, but in a collection this big and this good that doesn't detract too much.
Recommended for just about anyone who has a more-than-passing interest in Old English or poetry.
January 14, 2015
I'm not really into poetry, but some of this was really beautiful and all of it interesting.
What made me pick it up was the inclusion of the original Anglo-Saxon text. It was fascinating to discover as I got further into the book some of the AS words becoming familiar.
It's a more enjoyable read if you take a few pieces at a time, there were times I tried to read large sections in a sitting and found myself bored or ready to be done with a poem.
Though I understand the reasoning behind it, I disliked the English text of a single poem being spread over several pages when it would have fit on one or two under normal formatting. I think they did this to keep the translation in line with how much of the AS fit on the opposite page.
I would enthusiastically recommend this to anyone with an interest in poetry, Anglo-Saxon England, or just looking for something different.
What made me pick it up was the inclusion of the original Anglo-Saxon text. It was fascinating to discover as I got further into the book some of the AS words becoming familiar.
It's a more enjoyable read if you take a few pieces at a time, there were times I tried to read large sections in a sitting and found myself bored or ready to be done with a poem.
Though I understand the reasoning behind it, I disliked the English text of a single poem being spread over several pages when it would have fit on one or two under normal formatting. I think they did this to keep the translation in line with how much of the AS fit on the opposite page.
I would enthusiastically recommend this to anyone with an interest in poetry, Anglo-Saxon England, or just looking for something different.
August 7, 2011
Brilliant collection of Anglo Saxon Poems (sans Beowulf) with English on one side Anglo-Saxon on the other, Each section broken up by a Riddle Hoard section which like a ring giver doles out the Riddle in the Exeter book (with suggested answers for the sag heart ic in the back). Especially enjoyed final section of Charms against evil including the charm against dwarves and water Elves. Notes are excellent and the final essays in the back by the authors who provided the translations are very good - the article on how you translate the word Hwaet (first line of Beowulf) is very interesting, Recommend this book for loves of Anglo-Saxon language and poetry. Read it while I listened to Michael Drouts excellent Anglo-Saxon lecture series from Modern Scholar,
August 26, 2014
Never thought that Anglo-Saxon poetry could feel so, well, modern. The poets who are translating here are all doing a fine job. The riddles are wonderful... although some are pretty impossible to guess given the change of time. Thanks for the answers at the back of the book! And I sort of wish there were richer notes for these poems as I want to know more about this medieval literature. I am looking forward to many more night time hours with this lovely tome.
February 2, 2011
I have just acquired this and can't wait to dip into it. Not sure it is a read through book but just sampled the Battle of Maldon. Awesome parallel text: Anglo Saxon/English and some great translators at work.
Want to read
February 20, 2011Well, this is exciting: a collection of Old English poetry, translated often for the first time. I definitely need to have this book. Might wait for paperback though.
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May 25, 2011
There's no way one can process all the wealth that is here in a single stretch of readings. This is an anthology I'll return to again and again. The short essays by the poets about their translations are well worth reading, too.
January 17, 2011
Anglo-Saxon poetry: so strange, so sad. I'd like to learn this language, but these translations (by dozens of different poets) is the next-best.
August 28, 2011
This was pretty awesome but I didn't have time or intellectual energy to finish it.
June 20, 2013
Great parallel text collection..
June 11, 2014
I'm not a big reader of poetry, but this collection is beautiful. Having the original Anglo-Saxon on one side and the translations/interpretations on the other is great and I just really enjoyed it.
March 29, 2015
Some pieces are brilliant, some are a far cry from their source material. A good read, and a must-have for poets or scholars of the English language.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews