WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - The Poetry Fix: The Dream of the Rood, Part Four

Episode Date: March 30, 2026

Join Erika Kyba and continue your Lenten journey through the medieval Crucifixion poem, "The Dream of the Rood." In today's excerpt, the poet crafts a parallel between the Cross of Christ and Mary, His mother. Erika analyzes why the poet has chosen to link these two figures together, and what this poetic image says about suffering and glory.

101.7, ethics of poetry from across time. Today we're continuing our way through the concluding stanzas of the dream of the rude. This excerpt begins as the poet equates the cross of Christ to marry his mother, and I want us to stay with that image to think about the rest of the poem. The poet writes that God honored the cross over all the trees of the forest, just as he has also Almighty God honored his mother, marry herself, above all womankind, for the sake of all men. Let's think about what that parallel is telling us about suffering.

We've already seen throughout this poem that the cross has suffered like no other tree has had to suffer, because of the brutality done to it, but also because, in the poet's imagination, the cross loved Christ, was his shield partner in the battle against evil, and was eventually left alone and destitute in the aftermath of Christ's death. But it is this very intense suffering that glorifies the cross, because the very brutality and sorrow of the crucifixion is what redeems mankind. In the stanza that follows, the cross is going to narrate the apocalypse and present itself as the beacon which safeguards us during the judgment.

If we bear the cross in our heart, the poet tells us, it mediates between us and the wrath of God, and it takes us to Christ's salvation. Going back to Mary, here we find a biblical figure who plays the same role. Mary too suffered, perhaps more than any woman ever did. She went through the pain of childbirth to bring Christ into the world, an event that brought a woman very, very close to death in the ancient world, and still can, even with modern medicine being what it is.

Mary went through the same loneliness of the cross, watching her only son die, but the pain becomes Mary's glory because of its sacrificial nature. That's what the poet is trying to get across when he says that God honored Mary above all other women for the sake of all men. Christ gives Mary to us on the cross when he says the words, behold your mother. And in the poet's imagination, we are meant to think of her, like the cross, as one who mediates salvation to us. Mary is the one through whom Christ's life enters our world, and the cross is the one through whom Christ's death sanctifies us. Let's keep that image in mind as we dive in.

The Dream of the Rood, translated by Roy M. Leuza. Lo, the king of glory, guardian of heaven's kingdom, honored me over all the trees of the forest, just as he has also, Almighty God, honored his mother, Mary herself, above all womankind, for the sake of all men. Now I bid you, my beloved hero, that you reveal this vision to men. Tell them in words that it is the tree of glory

on which Almighty God suffered for mankind's many sins and Adam's ancient deeds. Death he tasted there, yet the Lord rose again with his great might to help mankind. He ascended into heaven. He will come again to this middle earth to seek mankind on doomsday, Almighty God, the Lord himself and his angels with him, and he will judge. He has the power of judgment, each one of them as they have earned beforehand here in this

loaned life. No one there may be unafraid at the words which the ruler will speak. He will ask before the multitude where the man might be, who for the Lord's name would taste bitter death, as he will be. he did earlier on that tree. But they will tremble then, and little think what they might even begin to say to Christ. But no one there need be very afraid, who has borne in his breast the best of beacons. But through the cross we shall seek the kingdom, every soul from this earthly way, whoever thinks to rest with the ruler. You've been listening to The Poetry Fix with Erica Kaiba.

If you enjoyed this episode, consider following the Poetry Fix on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcast. And if you have any poems you want to see in a future episode, email your suggestions to the poetry fix at gmail.com. Join me next week and we'll be finishing out our journey through the dream of the rude right in time for Easter.