The Icelandic Runic Poem, which is supposed to date from the fifteenth century, consists of sixteen short stanzas dealing in succession with the letter names of the Scandinavian Runic alphabet.
Each of these stanzas contain three Kennings (The descriptive phrases used instead of nouns in old Scandinavian poetry, e.g. "Sea-Steed" to mean "ship").
Here are the first three stanzas as a "taster"...
Fé er frænda róg.........Wealth
ok flæðar viti................source of discord among kinsmen
ok grafseiðs gata.........and fire of the sea
aurum fylkir................and path of the serpent.
Úr er skýja grátr........Shower
ok skára þverrir..........lamentation of the clouds
ok hirðis hatr...............and ruin of the hay-harvest
umbre vísi....................and abomination of the shepherd.
Þurs er kvenna kvöl......Giant
ok kletta búi....................torture of women
ok varðrúnar verr..........and cliff-dweller
Saturnus þengill..............and husband of a giantess.
Rune of the day
Raidho
Modern letter - R
Raidho signifies a Journey, implying not just physical travel, but a quest for spiritual enlightenment.
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