The Dream of the Rood

(Photo of the crucifix inside the Church of the Gesu, Rome.)

This poem is called "The Dream of the Rood" (ca. 750). The author is unknown. Like Herbert's "The Sacrifice" below, this poem offers another perspective from the Crucifixion--the cross itself (Rood is the old English word for cross). Once again I am going to post a link to the poem since the link offers commentary, but here is a sample.

"On shoulders men bore me there, then fixed me on hill;
fiends enough fastened me. Then saw I mankind's Lord
come with great courage when he would mount on me.
Then dared I not against the Lord's word
bend or break, when I saw earth's
fields shake. All fiends
I could have felled, but I stood fast.
The young hero stripped himself--he, God Almighty--
strong and stout-minded. He mounted high gallows,
bold before many, when he would loose mankind.
I shook when that Man clasped me. I dared, still, not bow to earth,
fall to earth's fields, but had to stand fast.
Rood was I reared. I lifted a mighty King,
Lord of the heavens, dared not to bend.
With dark nails they drove me through: on me those sores are seen,
open malice-wounds. I dared not scathe anyone.
They mocked us both, we two together. All wet with blood I was,
poured out from that Man's side, after ghost he gave up."

Read the entire poem here.