today's poem

[angevin2]

Because the alliterative revival is always fun. And so is onomatopoeia. This is a fairly well-known poem, but I don't have to post lesser-known poetry all the time. ;)

Swarte smeked smethes
Anon., 14th c.

Swarte smeked smethes, smattered with smoke,
Drive me to deth with den of here dintes!
Swech nois on nightes ne herd men never:
What knavene cry, and clattering of knockes!
The cammede kongons crien after "Col, col!"
And blowen here bellewes that all here brain brestes.
"Huff, puff!" saith that one; "Haff, paff!" that other.
They spitten and sprawlen and spellen many spelles,
They gnawen and gnacchen, they grones togedere,
And holden hem hote with here hard hammers.
Of a bole hide ben here barm-felles,
Here schankes ben schakeled for the fere-flunderes;
Hevy hammeres they han that hard ben handled,
Stark strokes they striken on a steled stokke.
"Luss, buss! lass, dass!" routen be rowe --
Swech dolful a dreme the devil it todrive!
The maister longeth a litel and lascheth a lesse,
Twineth hem twein, and toucheth a treble.
"Tik, tak! hic, hac! tiket, taket! tik, tak!
Luss, buss! luss, dass!" swich lif they leden!
Alle clothemeres, Crist hem give sorwe,
May no man for brenwateres on night han his rest!