Rune poems are poems that list the letters of runic alphabets while providing an explanatory poetic stanza for each letter. Four different poems from before the mid-20th century have been preserved: the Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem, the Norwegian Rune Poem, the Icelandic Rune Poem and the Swedish Rune Poem.

The poem is one of the primary sources of knowledge about the runic alphabet and provides insight into the way that the Anglo-Saxons understood and used these letters in their daily lives.

Jan 2, 2021 · The following is the reading given by Dickins, Runic and heroic poems of the old Teutonic peoples, published 1915 and thus free of copyright. Cursive letters are emendations by Dickins.)

The Old English rune poem, dated to the 8th or 9th century, has stanzas on 29 Anglo-Saxon runes. It stands alongside younger rune poems from Scandinavia, which record the names of the 16 Younger Futhark runes.

The Rune Poems were a recitation of the names and kennings (associations) of the runes. They were presumably used as an aid in memorizing and transmitting the lore. There are three of the old poems known; the Icelandic, the Norwegian, and the Anglo-Saxon. The Anglo-Saxon shows considerable influence from Christianity.

if he wish to gain honour in the sight of the Lord. a great ranger of the moors, it is a creature of mettle. uncommonly severe on all who sit among them. a blessing and a joy to every knight. …

The Rune Poem Ed. Elliot van Kirk Dobbie, ASPR 6 (1942), pp. 28-30. Originally found in Cotton Otho B.x, ff. 165r–165v. The manuscript was destroyed by fire in 1731, but the text of the poem was printed by George Hickes in 1705.

Reginn forged the finest sword. death makes a corpse pale. Christ created the world of old. a naked man is chilled by the frost. the blind man must be led. I say that Frothi was generous. I bow to the divine decree. often has the smith to blow. Loki was fortunate in his deceit. great is the claw of the hawk. but ornaments are of gold.

The Old English Rune Poem is perhaps the most well-known of all rune poems, originating from the Anglo-Saxon period. This poem, written in Old English (Read more about Old English Poems), provides a list of runes from the Futhorc alphabet, each accompanied by a verse that explains the rune's meaning and significance.

The earlier Germanic runes consisted of 24 characters but the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc added to and adapted these. The Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem (there are others eg from Iceland, Norway and Continental Europe) is known only from an early 18 th century copy and has been tentatively dated to the 9 th century.