The Dream of the Rood

   Hear while I tell about the best of dreams 

Which came to me the middle of one night 

While humankind were sleeping in their beds. 

It was as though I saw a wondrous tree 

Towering in the sky suffused with light, 

Brightest of beams; and all that beacon was 

Covered with gold.  The corners of the earth 

Gleamed with fair jewels, just as there were five 

Upon the cross-beam.  Many bands of angels, 

Fair throughout all eternity, looked on. 

No felon's gallows that, but holy spirits, 

Mankind, and all this marvellous creation, 

Gazed on the glorious tree of victory. 

And I with sins was stained, wounded with guilt. 

I saw the tree of glory brightly shine 

In gorgeous clothing, all bedecked with gold. 

The Ruler's tree was worthily adorned 

With gems; yet I could see beyond that gold 

The ancient strife of wretched me, when first 

Upon its right side it began to bleed. [...] 

The Dream of the Rood is a poem dating back to at least the 8th century.  In it, the narrator dreams of a tree encrusted with stones, upon which, he realizes, is the blood of Christ.  In the second part of the poem, the Crucifixion story is told from the perspective of the Cross; later, the poet reflects on all that he has seen.  To continue reading Richard Hamer's translation of this poem from Old English, click here.

Image source
Text source (trans. R. Hamer)