Versions of Chaucer (verse)
Hill, Frank Ernest
VERSIONS OF CHAUCER The following excerpts from a forthcoming version, in modern English, of The Canterbury Tales are offered in the belief that they will be found interesting as a contemporary...
...Yeomen and commoners with staves were out Crowding as thick as they could move about, Fife, trumpet sounded, clarion, kettle drum, From which in battle bloody noises come...
...Her yellow hair was braided in a tress Behind her back, a yard long, I should guess, And in the garden, as the sun uprose, She wandered up and down, and there she chose, Gathering now of white and now of red, Flowers to make a garland for her head, And like an angel sang a heavenly song...
...Thus in the hall the words went busily...
...Frank Ernest Hill...
...Some said he had a grim look and would fight"He bears an ax is twenty pound in weight...
...Emely And so passed year by year and day by day, Until it fell, upon a morn in May, That Emely, that fairer was to see Than on his green stalk is the bright lily, And fresh as May with blossoms born anew, (For with the rose's color strove her hue I know not which was fairer of the two) Ere it was day, as she was wont to do, She was arisen, and garbed to greet the light...
...Some held the part of him with the black beard, Some backed the bald one, others the thick-haired...
...For May will have no sluggardry by night...
...And squires were nailing spears and making right The straps of shields, and buckling helmets tight, And lacing thongs-in nothing were they idle...
...All up and down the palace floors were thronged, Three here, ten there, that great debate prolonged, Questioning of the knights, these Thebans two...
...The season stirreth every noble heart, Making the sleeper from his sleep to start, And saith, "Arise, and thine observance do...
...Before the Tournament Great was the feast in Athens on that day, And all the lusty blossoming of May Put folk in such a happy countenance That all that Monday did they joust and dance And made for Venus high festivities...
...And therewith Might ye have heard the armor-forging smith At work on harness rich with many a fold Of woven steel, embroidery, and gold...
...Shields, hauberks shone...
...and trappings gayly wrought, And coat-of-arms and gold-hewn helmets caught The light...
...And foaming steeds, each at his golden bridle, Were champing proudly, and the armorers too With file and hammer darted to and fro...
...And some of them said thus and some said so...
...Long after sun began to mount the sky...
...And on the morrow, when the day began, Clatter and noise of arms for horse and man Sounded in all the hostelries about...
...And toward the palace many a troop set out Of lords on steeds and palfreys...
...This brought to Emely remembrance, too, That she should rise and honor do to May...
...and gay-cloaked lords went riding through On coursers proud, and knights of retinue...
...VERSIONS OF CHAUCER The following excerpts from a forthcoming version, in modern English, of The Canterbury Tales are offered in the belief that they will be found interesting as a contemporary poet's homage to the "father of English song...
...But since with morning they must all arise Early, in readiness to see the fight, Unto their rest they turned them with the night...
...Hill's book will be published in the near future by Longmans, Green and Company.-The Editors...
...The mighty tower, that was so thick and strong And for the castle was the dungeon-keep Where these two knights were held in durance deep, Of which I told, and more shall tell withal, This tower was close beside the garden wall Where wandered Emely for her delight...
...Now to describe her-fresh was her array...
Vol. 11 • April 1930 • No. 23
