Daily Archives: April 7, 2007

Poetry for Triduum

One of the quintessential reflection pieces for me on Good Friday and Holy Saturday is the Old English poem Dream of the Rood. We’re not really sure when or where it was written; bits of it appear in runes on the Ruthwell Cross–but we’re not sure when they were carved on it. Its purpose may be the same as the great hymn of yesterday, the Pange Ligua which Fortunatus wrote to celebrate a piece of the true cross coming to Frankland.

In any case, here’s the original, and here’s a Modern English translation.