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Forgotten Ground Regained

Speculative Fiction Authors and Fans

Introduction
One of the main ways alliterative verse has spead is through the science fiction and fantasy community (see Dennis Wise's book, Speculative Poetry and the Modern Alliterative Revival for full details). Authors have often built worlds in which alliterative verse plays a central role, and in response, fans have taken what their favorite authors have created and run with it. The links on this page provide a panoramic view of the creativity thus unleashed.
Tolkien Fan Poetry: Alliterative Verse in Arda
SFF Authors and Poets on the Author Page
  • Mary Alexandra Agner
  • Poul Anderson
  • James Blish
  • Bruce Byfield
  • Philip Chase
  • Cynthia M. Cheung
  • Joe R. Christopher
  • Frank Coffman
  • Michael R. Collings
  • Avram Davidson
  • AJ Deane
  • Matthew Dickerson
  • James S. Dorr
  • Susan Edwards
  • Joshua Gillingham
  • Joshua Hampton
  • J.D. Harlock
  • Ada Hoffman
  • John Houghton
  • Simon Kellow-Bingham
  • Rosemary Kirstein
  • Ursula Le Guin
  • C.S. Lewis
  • John C. Mannone
  • Patricia Masson
  • Luke R.J. Maynard
  • Edwin Morgan
  • William Morris
  • John Myers Myers
  • Garth Nix
  • Paul Park
  • Diana Paxson
  • Jordan M. Poss
  • Fletcher Pratt
  • Kate Ravenna
  • Adam Roberts
  • Patrick Rothfuss
  • Bran Sanderson
  • Jill Scharr
  • Darrell Schweitzer
  • Michael Simms
  • L. Sprague De Camp
  • Samuel J. Stephens
  • Beth Morris Tanner
  • Alex J. Taylor
  • Marcie Lynn Tentchoff
  • Thaliarchus
  • J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Jo Walton
  • Steven Withrow
  • Paul Edwin Zimmer
Others
Note: The poetry linked here may range in quality from novice work to brilliant. It is probably just the tenth of the iceberg that shows above the ocean. There is almost certainly much more out there. Send me links if you find them ... use the following email, making the standard substiution: pdeane[at]alliteration.net
Robert Adams
  • Translation of The Seafarer
Geoffrey B. Elliot
  • In Response to Schaubert [that is, Dear Tolkien Society]
  • How's This for Ad Copy?
  • No Scholar
Ada Hoffman
  • Octopi Viewing a Submersible (Strange Horizons)
Rob Howell
  • Albrecht -- Chivalry
  • Rob's Riddles
Joe Hoffman
  • Old English, New World
William Justus
  • “Dying Fire”, “Poetic Inspiration 5/5/18”, “The Stone of Destiny 5/9/18”, “A Raenor Poem 5/18/18”, and “Sea Strand” in a self-published collection of poetry
  • Old English style alliterative poetry, Another alliterative attempt, Ten, Home for Christmas, Going Mad, Endeavor, Humility's Victory, The Valley of Kings, The Wyrm and the Son of Man, and A Dream by @whoshim
  • I Heard the Horns in the Hills Ringing by Jacob Andrews
  • Water: Lake under Sun and Breezes and Autumn's Rainbow by Arahant
  • Ashra and the Dragon by Ryan M. Irvine
  • “The fight is on …” by stillstunned
Rosemary Kirstein
• Fragments of an alliterative poem, in her novel The Steerswoman
James Moffett
  • Concluding the Fall of Arthur
  • The writing begins
  • Update 2
  • Update 3
  • Update 4
  • Canto VI Finished
Jamie Molaro
  • Skáldsspá (preview here)
Rob Sanders
  • Skopunargodthsognsaga - The Creation Saga
  • Stridth Sverdthannasaga - The War of the Two Swords
  • Braedthurnir Tolfsaga the Tale of the Twelve
Chris Thorndycroft
  • Giving Anglo-Saxon Poetry a Go
Marian L. Thorpe
War in Winter Hrothgar and Hryllingur (a reimagined Beowulf)o Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4,o Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8,o Part 9, Part 10 Part 11, Part 12, o Part 13, Part 14. Part 15, o Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, o Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22
Audio/Video
Sir Gawain Summarized by Annalee Newitz
Eric Carrasco, skaldic verse in Twilight of the Gods

SF Fandom

Love of alliterative verse arises very naturally among SF fans, where people adopt personas who tell tales of epic worlds.
Fanfic Authors on the Main Author Page
Paul D. Deane John Houghton Wendy Lieber Zinger
In Mallorn and other Tolkien society journals
  • Teresa Kirkatrick, Tuor and Ulmo, Mallorn 50, p.47 .
  • Pat McIntosh, "Grimhelm's Song", Mallorn 7, p. 29
  • Pat Masson, "Hymn to Earendil", Mallorn 14, p. 32
  • Tim Scratcherd, "The Sealing of Gondolin", Mallorn 16, p. 7
  • Gill Page, "Lament for Baldor the Brave", Mallorn 21, pp. 20-21
  • Valerie Sutton, "The Lay of Eowyn" (half-lines w/o alliteration), Mallorn 24, pp. 218-224
  • Dan Timmons, "The Ballad of Bart and Beth", Mallorn 34, p. 20
  • Susan Edwards (Tuilinde), "Slaying the Dragon", Mallorn 49, p. 42
  • Susan Edwards (Tuilinde), "The Paths of the Dead", Mallorn 51, p. 34
  • "The Lay of Eärringa " by Colin Rosenthal in Anor 11, pp. 10-11 (Journal of the Cambridge Tolkien Society)
In Mythic Circle, literary journal of the Mythopoeic Society
  • "Prayer to Tyr", "Far from Jötenheim". and "A Prayer to Balder" in "The World War I Poems of Nathan Whilc" by Joe R.. Christopher, Mythic Circle #28, pp. 41, 42, 46.
  • "On Caterpillars, Corneille and Canova" by Joshua Drake, Mythic Circle #33, pp. 48-49
  • "Odin Wins the Mead of Poetry" by S.R. Hardy, Mythic Circle #36, pp, 6-12
  • "Hild" by Tim Callahan [alliterative iambic tetrameter rhyming couplets], Mythic Circle #4, pp. 36-37
by Erin Lale
  • The Hoard of Hrothiric, Mythic Circle #4, p. 6
  • The Wedding of Beorwine, Mythic Circle #15, p.5
  • Skadi: Water Cycle, Mythic Circle #18, p. 36
Others (from fan fiction sites)
Note: The poetry linked here may range in quality from novice work to brilliant. It is probably just the tenth of the iceberg that shows above the ocean. There is almost certainlyly much more out there. Send me links if you find them ... use the following email, making the standard substiution: pdeane[at]alliteration.net
TV Shows/Movies
  • Time Is by wewerethebestrichard (Dr. Who)
  • Invocation to the Weaver of Waters by Ilferion (The Sea Witch)
  • Loki-Gabrielkvidha by Thette (Supernatural)
  • Real Men Don't Wear Girdles by halfFizzbin (Merlin) [Embedded Alliterative Verse]
  • well-met by warlight by wukuiyuxin (The Untamed)
  • Adar's speech (Ring of Power)
Comics / Webcomics / Comic-Based Series / Podcasts
  • Batman by Batwoman
  • Deep In Their Hearts They Remember Hell by semusepsu
  • Blades (Friends at the Table) by bircheswatching
  • Bruised and Bloody by Thette (Avengers)
  • Hefnendakvidha by Thette
Anime
  • Gurren Lagann, The Epic Poem by PoetryGuy
  • A Green Sun Illuminates the Void by EarthScorpion (White Wolf + Familiar of Zero Crossover)
Games
  • Eao's Lament: An Alliterative Epic by Child of Scorn (Destiny)
  • Eliksni alliterative oral poetry by Jill Scharr (Destiny)
  • The Fall of Korax: Hexen Poem by NAV Poet (Hexen)
  • Raven-Wine and Again as They Had Afore by Theredras (Beowulf D&D Module)
  • The Fatal Fight by S. Baker (World of Farland D&D Modle)
  • Feicim Beitha by Aondeug (Force of Wills card game)
  • Where Willows Wail [Dragon Age: Inquisition]
  • The Epic of Balwyn [Skara: The Blade Remains]
  • The Saga of Kalaman The Seeker by Gary C. Wilkens (D&D0
Real Green Knight Hours
  • Green-garbed, growing ...
  • All Thordan's thew ...
  • The Blackreach Edda by Interfuge (Skyrim)
  • The Lay of PioneerModder (Elder Scrolls)
  • Regarding Tsun [Elder Scrolss]
  • The Song of Seven Swords by theCrowe (MechWarrior)
  • Eao’s Lament: An Alliterative Epic by Child_of_Scorn (Destiny)
  • Brosca: An Epic Poem by Keolah (Dragon Age: Origins)
  • Novena to St. Caedmon by St. Caedmon Studio (Knight Errant)
  • Interview with Dan Sumption about writing alliterative verse for table-top roleplaying games
  • Poems as Skill Descriptions [Winter's Saga]
  • Masters of Verse [Risus]
  • Hail @Helya! [Elvenar forum]
  • The Epic of Sir Conrad Drake, the Second Dragon Warrior by Jimmy Mimpson [Dragon Warrior]
  • 'In colors clear ... ' by wifewolf (@rimahaldey.bsky.social)
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
  • The Sorting Saga by MandyMyfanwy
  • Harry Potter: My Hero by ValorOrgulloso
Song of Ice and Fire (George R.R. Martin)
  • The Tale of Brandon by Nary
Sherlock Holmes by Conan Doyle
  • Ymb Wating (Concerning the Son of Wat) by gardnerhill
  • Hemlock's Bloom by englandwouldfalljohn for Bluebuell33
Parzival by Wolfram Eschenbach
Krapfenâventiure by SwanFloatieKnight for rialtoir
Original Characters on Fanfic Sites
A Legend, An Epic, An Elegy by octoberburns Slenderman by J. Thayne Hope, because that seems like a good title by Thelitterbox
Tolkien's Middle Earth
  • Of Isildur and the White Tree by PSW
  • The Battle for Pelennor by Sauron Gorthaur
  • The Last Prince of Cardolan by Rune_Vanyarin
  • In Song Unsung by sabcatt
  • Anaxartaron Onyalië by Arcus_Calion
  • The Lay of King Nelyafinwë by sabcatt
  • Feanorians by Vicki_Turner
  • Dragon's Journeys by DrummerWench
  • Hesitations of a reembodied elf, by Himring
  • The Exile’s Song by verseandevenworse
Paul D. Deane
Originally posted on the Imladris Poetry Page
  • The Song of Marwen and Fithurin
  • The Song of Woe
  • The Song of Returning
  • The Song of Shadows
  • The Redemption of Daeron
b2mem
  • Hail Now the Horse-Lords
  • The Way through the Woods
  • Earendil the Seafarer by Himring [Embedded Alliterative Verse]
  • Wruxled in White by Lindariel
  • Their Hideous Webs by Lindariel [Embedded alliterative verse]]
  • The Ballad of Eowyn by Plant_Murderer
  • Nan Hathaldir Ah Aerlin by Aris Katsaris
  • Poem about Hurin by Elwaith
  • The Mariner's Wife by Odinsbard
  • Fram and Scatha by David Rowe
Audio and Video
  • Mythmoot V: The LOTRO Epic Story in Alliterative Verse by David Raley
  • Billy Baggins: There and Back Again (Jimmy Andrex)
Zdenka
  • The Choices of Lady Eowyn
  • The Making of Angrist
  • Song and Smoke
  • With the Stars in the Darkness, and Love in the Light [Embedded Aliterative verse]
Lferion
  • Riddle of Three
  • Three Words Riddle
  • Riddle of Wings
  • Riddle of Caves
  • What Sky
  • Write in Water
  • Stave of Peaceful Observation
  • An Airy Riddle
  • Bonfires
  • Stave of Peaceful Observatoin
Anglo-Saxon and Norse Mythology
  • Freawaru's Lament by ellen_fremedon
  • A Riddle for Beowulf by Sauron Gorthaur
  • Come to the Wind by CalamityCain
  • Invocation to Frigga by Lferion
  • Riddle of the Egg by Ilferion
  • Sapling by Corvicula1979
  • gotterdammerung by AmadannaBriona
  • The Tale of Hijod the God's Daughter by ZdenkaWaldner [Embedded Alliterative Verse]
  • Heresy by asyndese [Embedded Alliterative Verse]
  • Ty'rs Travels in Midgard: The Quest for a Sword by cefyr [Embedded Alliterative Verse]
  • Viking Prayer from 13th Warrior recast in alliterative verse
Beowulf Crossover
  • Kurowolf by Decadent Meerkat (A Beowulf/Kuroshitsuji crossover)
  • Beowulf and Maximilian by Old Toad (Beowulf/Disney's The Black Hole Crossover)
  • BeoMulder by Darth_Nonie (Beowulf/X-Files/Highlander)
Arthurian Legend
  • Sir Gawain and the Three Sisters by Inhammer
Greek or Roman Myth
  • Songs for Persephone by Calenlily
Star Wars
• “In days long dead among distant stars …“ by sirtintram
Copyright © Paul D Deane, 2023
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