Beowulf Primer

I love the story of Beowulf!  Did you know there is only one copy of it from ancient times? It is unknown when the Nowell Codex was written, but it is approximately 1,000 years old.  The tale itself was probably sung centuries before. 

I want to pass on my admiration for this, the earliest known poem in the English language, to my children. Therefore, we have many copies of Beowulf, so they can enjoy it no matter at what level they are reading.

Left to right, top to bottom:

Beowulf by Seamus Heaney

Beowulf the Warrior by Ian Serrailier

Stories of Beowulf Told To The Children by H.E. Marshall

Beowulf: A Verse Translation

and 

By His Own Might: The Battles of Beowulf by Dorothy Hosford 

I also own Beowulf: A Hero's Tale Retold by James Rumford, but I couldn't find it for the picture. It must be on one of the Lambies shelves. 

So, this is my Beowulf collection. Each is a favorite in it's own way.  Rumford's is rich in illustration and the story is simple enough for preschool and kindergarteners to follow along. Serrailier and Hosford's are the ones I read aloud to my elementary Lambies for school.  H. E. Marshall's is just perfect for older elementary students to read independently. Seamus Heaney's work is outstanding and is the one I recommend my jr. and high schoolers read.  I love that it has the Old English on the left side page and the excellent translation on the right.  The Penguin Classic I keep on the shelf for the map and reference pages rather than for the translation.    

As you can tell, this poem means a lot to us. I highly recommend everyone read it themselves and make sure their children are familiar with it, too.  

What's your favorite version of this masterwork? 

Stand Back......

I picked up a gem of a book at the thrift store today! For one thin little dime, I became the owner of "Stand Back," Said The Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!" by Patricia Thomas, illustrated by Wallace Tripp. Have you read this story? It's hilarious! I am always on the lookout for good rhyming books. Two of my sons and one of my daughters seem to have been born without the ability to rhyme or recognize a rhyme when they hear it. We read lots of rhyming books to help them overcome this lack of poetic ears.

I read it to Troubles, Jack and Missy and they immediately asked to hear it again. That's a sign of a great book. As I was looking it up on Amazon to get the link for this post, Troubles saw the computer screen and gasped, "Your going to sell that book???? I don't want you to sell that one!". That's another sign of a great book!

Mother Goose Madness

I really should stop it. My youngest is already five...and he's a boy. He's not fond of nursery rhymes unless they end in, "and they went to battle and fought furiously" or some such manly thought.

But I bought another Mother Goose book last weekend. It will live on the YO shelf along with other dear favorites of mine. AO recommends "A nice Mother Goose collection, such as The Real Mother Goose illustrated by Blanche Fisher Wright, Mama Goose, a collection by Edelen Wille, or versions such as those by Rojankovsky, Marguerite De Angeli or Tasha Tudor, or Lavender's Blue, a collection of nursery rhymes compiled by Kathleen Lines, illustrated by Harold Jones".

I have the Tudor and de Angeli ones, as well as one by Eloise Wilkin, one by Eulalie, one by The Provensens, and The Christian Mother Goose by Decker.
The Glorious Mother Goose (selected by Cooper Edens) richly deserves a place on the shelf of any beauty loving family. The original poems are illustrated by gorgeous paintings from the past. Masters such as Kate Greenaway, Milo Winter, Peter Newell and many others are showcased in this surprisingly easy to find ~and~ afford book. I suggest you find one for your Littles...before they are too big for Mother Goose, that is.

The Books of the Bible

Perhaps this will be Term Three's poetry selection...

The Books of the Bible

In Genesis the world was made by God's creative hand;
In Exodus the Hebrews march to gain the Promised Land;
Leviticus contains the Law, holy, just and good,
Numbers records the tribes enrolled, all sons of Abraham's blood.
Moses in Deuteronomy records God's mighty deeds.
In Joshua their rebellion oft provokes the Lord to smite,
But Ruth records the faith of one well pleasing in His sight.
In 1st and 2nd Samuel of Jesse's son we read;
Ten tribes in 1st and 2nd Kings revolted from his seed.
In 1st and 2nd Chronicles we see Judah captive made,
But Ezra leads the remnant back by princely Cyrus' aid.
The city walls of Zion Nehemiah builds again,
While Esther saves her people from the plots of wicked men.
In Job we read how faith will live beneath afflictions' rod,
And David's Psalms are precious songs to every child of God.
The Proverbs, like a goodly string of choicest pearls, appear;
Ecclesiastes teaches men how vain are all things here.
The Song of Solomon exalts sweet Sharon's lovely rose,
While Christ the Saviour and the King the rapt Isaiah shows.
The warning Jeremiah apostate Israel warns,
His plaintive Lamentations their awful downfall mourns.
Ezekiel tells in wondrous words the Kingdom's mysteries,
While God's great Kingdom yet to come Daniel in vision sees.
Of judgment and of mercy Hosea loves to tell,
Joel describes the blessed days when God with man will dwell.
Among Tekoa's herdsmen Amos received his call,
And Obadiah prophesies of Edom's final fall.
Jonah enshrines a wondrous type of Christ, our risen Lord;
Micah pronounces Judah lost - lost but to be restored.
Nahum declares on Nineveh just judgment shall be poured
When Christ our risen Saviour shall come to be adored.
A view of Chaldees coming doom Habakkuk's vision gives,
While Zephaniah warns the Jews to turn, repent and live.
Haggai wrote to those who saw the Temple built again,
Zechariah prophesies of Christ's triumphant reign.
Malachi was the last to touch that high prophetic cord;
His final notes sublimely show the coming of the Lord.
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John the Gospel story give,
Describing how the Saviour was born and died that man may live.
Acts tells how well the apostles preached with signs in every place,
And Paul in Romans proves that man is saved through faith by grace.
The Apostle in Corinthians instructs, exhorts, reproves;
Galatians proves that faith in Christ alone the Father approves.
Ephesians and Philippians tell what Christians ought to be;
Colossians bids us live for God and from all sin be free.
In Thessalonians we are taught the Lord will come from heaven,
In Timothy and Titus a shepherd's rule is given.
Philemon marks a brother's love as only brethren know;
Hebrews reveals Christ's priestly works prefigured long ago.
James teaches without holiness, faith is but vain and dead;
While Peter points the narrow way in which the saints are led.
John in his three epistles on love delights to dwell;
But Jude gives warning terrible of those once who fell.
The Revelation prophesies that tremendous day
When all the kingdoms of the earth with noise shall pass away.
"Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

Exodus 20

(Originally posted on my other blog 9-17-2006)

I found this poem this morning and thought I would share it with you. It had no author attached, but if you happen to know who penned it, please tell me!

EXODUS CHAP XX
Thou shalt have no more Gods but me
Before no idol bow thy knee
Take not the name of God in vain
Nor dare the Sabbath day profane
Give both thy parents honour due
Take heed that thou no murder do

Abstain from words and deeds unclean

Nor steal though thou are poor and mean

Nor make a willful lie nor love it

What is thy neighbors dare not covet

I believe this will find its way onto our whiteboard early next week!