Romantic Ballads, Translated from the Danish; and Miscellaneous Pieces

A spirited anthology of ancient Scandinavian verse, this collection brings the fierce, uneven rhythms of medieval Danish ballads to modern ears. Translating works from the celebrated poet Oehlenslæger and the legendary Kiæmpé Viser, the translator preserves the raw, “assonante” rhyme and the blunt, heroic language that once echoed across mist‑shrouded fjords and battlefields. Listeners are invited into a world where warriors clash, mermen haunt river depths, and the natural world throbs with untamed power.

The volume weaves together a kaleidoscope of themes—ghostly spectres, mournful love songs, celebratory odes to mountains and storms, and vivid snapshots of mythic deeds. Though the verses are intentionally rough around the edges, their vivid imagery and stark emotions capture a timeless grandeur that feels both foreign and familiar. For anyone drawn to the primal pulse of early Nordic poetry, these translations offer an unvarnished glimpse into a culture where song and saga were one.