Hengest and Horsa

by: Briony Loudoun

Hengest and Horsa, the horse-brothers,
hailed from Heligoland, a home of Jutes.
The waves whispered, the whale-path called
the brothers and their band to boat; the people
sailed the seas by the sun guided,
not only Jutes, but Angles journeying with Saxons,
united underneath one banner.
The thegns by the tides at Thanet landed.

The barbarian Britons battled the thegns.
They were loth to lose their land, their home.
The fighting was fierce, the fury of battle.
Horsa, the hero of Heligoland, fell.
His lords lamented him, his life was spent.
Many thegns also to the Hall of Thunor hastened.
The carrion crows consumed the dead.
Dark was the death-day of Horsa.
Hengest’s hordes did harry their foes
to the shores of the sea, their shields and swords
shattered, shivered, and shorn of renown.
The battle was lost by the Briton lords,
their Kingdom conquered, Cent Hengest
called that coastal, cliffy headland.
A Great and gilded, gabled Hall
was raised, the residence of the royal family,
Cent’s honourable King, Hengest,
first and proudest, father of Princes.

The gables were given their glorious names,
Hengest and Horsa, on the Hall builded;
horses of the highest hight in the land,
on the thatchèd roof, the thegns’ namesake.

~~ * ~~

Lure of the Barrowight

by: David McG

Deftly, gently, tentatively falling
Reaching, covering
Journey time stalling.
Down the Downs
Down the Downs
Barrowight calling.

Mist enshrouding, path obscuring
Whispering, promising
So alluring
Down the Downs
Down the Downs
Barrowight calling.

‘Welcome Master’s Gamgee,
Brandybuck and Took
Especially Master Baggin’s
Caught now on my hook!’
Down the Downs
Down the Downs
Barrowight calling.

Dreamlike, corpselike, laid to rest
Waiting, dreading
Dark Lords guest
Down the Downs
Down the Downs
Barrowight calling.

No light, no hope, no voice to sing
Danger is coming
Put on the ring!
Down the Downs
Down the Downs
Barrowight calling!

‘Give in, don’t fight, put down the blade
Save yourself Baggins
Your destiny’s made!’
Down the Downs
Down the Downs
Barrowight …stalling?

Screaming, fleeing, facing true light
Retreating forever
The Barrowight”s flight
Down the Downs
Down the Downs
Bombadil calling!

~~ * ~~