The Rood

Writing This Piece

“The Rood” was written for the Metropolitan United Choristers to be sung at Tenebrae, Good Friday 2020.

Dream of the Rood

The Dream of the Rood is an ancient Anglo-Saxon narrative poem written in Old English. The full poem is recorded in the 'Vercelli Book', found in Vercelli, Italy in the city's Capitulary library. The manuscript dates from the 10th-century, however there are fragments of the poem in runic inscriptions on the Ruthwell Cross, found in the village of Ruthwell, Scotland dating from the 8th-century.

'Rood' translates from the Old English as pole, but in this context it specifically means the crucifix. The poem is told from the point of view of the tree that was hewn down to make the cross upon which Christ was crucified.

To see the entire poem you can visit Dr. Aaron Hostetter's Anglo-Saxon Narrative Poetry Project at the following web address:

• https://anglosaxonpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/dream-of-the-rood/

SSA

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