"Sendibítr", a poem by Jórunn skáldmær, written in the early 10th century

Source:

http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20091122085711/http://www3.hi.is/~eybjorn/ugm/skindex/jorunn.html

Jórunn skáldmær ("poet-maiden") was a Norwegian skald active in the first half of the 10th century. Only two stanzas and three half-stanzas of her Sendibítr ("Biting message") were preserved, mostly in Snorri Sturluson's works, such as Saga of Harald Fairhair and Skáldskaparmál. The Sendibítr, which deals with a conflict between Harald Fairhair and his son Halfdan the Black, is the longest recorded skaldic poem composed by a woman.

The poem:

1. Bragningr réð í blóði,

beið herr konungs reiði,

(hús lutu) opt (fyr eisum)

óþjóðar slög rjóða.

2. Haralds frák Halfdan spyrja

herðibrögð, en lögðis

sýnisk svartleitr reyni

sjá bragr, ens hárfagra.

3. Þvít ríkr konungr rekka,

reyr undlagar dreyra

morðs þás merkja þorðu

magnendr, bjósk at fagna.

4. Hvar vitu einka örvir

örveðrs frama görvan

tinglrýröndum tungla

tveir jöfrar vegmeira?,

an geðharðir gerðu

golls landrekar þollum

(upp angr of hófsk yngva)

óblinds fyr lof Sindra.

5. Hróðr vann hringa stríðir

Haralds framm kveðinn ramman;

Gotþormr hlaut af gæti

góð laun kveðins óðar;

raunframra brá rimmu

runnr skjöldunga gunnar;

áðr bjósk herr til hjörva

hreggs döglinga tveggja.