Poetry



Alliteration and kennings
Frilandic poetry is characterized by alliteration, in which the rime is at the beginning of the stressed syllables. Examples of this are "Peter Piper", "Donald Duck" and "raging Roland".
        Besides that there are the so-called kennings, in which existing words are described in a poetic manner. Examples of this are "bee wolf" (bear), "forest of masts" (fleet) and "heavenly fire" (sun).

Poets
These days poets usually publish their work in written form, but in the old days there were special court poets who travelled the land and shared their poems and songs for a small reward, similar to the skalds and the minstrels. The subjects of their poems were usually ancient sagas and tales, but also news messages and gossip.
        One of the most influential works of Frilandic poetry is the work "Mundihtan" (Love poems) by the 15th century poet Wulfhard Haimarssun. His work features a rational view on love. The most famous Frilandic poet of our time is Anshar Ožalwarssun.

Example
The poem "Sumer" (Summer) by Anshar Ožalwarssun.

Sumer

Ža sundarlunga sun steigiž til hemil
and ža hrab weržiž hra gawakiž.
Fleutig iz fleugiž ut ža tre
um ta anskawan hwat ža skauna neuja dag brengiž.
Auk ža ber stekiž sin haubid ut ain hul en ža haug
and kwemiž kweriž utan.
Ža hungariga wulf gangiž up waiž afar hunž
and ža wiž blojiž wižar.

 Summer

The curious sun ascends towards the sky,
and the raven is rudely awoken.
Quickly he flies out of the tree,
to behold what the beautiful new day brings.
The bear also sticks his head out of a den in the hill,
and comes moaning outside.
The hungry wolf goes on a hunt for prey,
and the pasture blossoms again.