At Ethandun AElfred and Guthrum
with spear and shield sharp war-hedge
faced each other to fight for Wessex
messengers spoke insults exchanged
for spear and swordplay steadied the Danes
aimed at English arrows and darts
thrown like thorns they thickened the air
but bounced off mail and bit only shields
then Alfred ordered objects more cunning
than his system of burhs or splitting the fyrd
and like his ships’ forms not Frisian not Danish
but designed by himself splendid weapons
those blackened buns burnt at Athelney
thrown like shot-putts they thickened the air
bursting byrnies breaking linden
mashing mail-shirts and mangling bone
warriors felled by fire-hardened cakes
thus AElfred Triumphed at Ethandun
by Martin Vine
first published in Withowinde 120, Winter 1999
December 9th, 2011
