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

Episode Date: March 6, 2026

Today, we continue our Lenten reflections on The Dream of the Rood. Join Erika Kyba as she discusses how the poet imagines the Cross as Christ's shield partner in battle. The poet leads us away from identifying suffering as the villain of the Passion, showing us the bigger picture: the Passion was always a battle against sin. And the Cross is our ally in this battle, not our enemy.

Welcome to The Poetry Fix on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. I'm your host, Erica Kaiba, bringing you your weekly fix of poetry from across time. Today we're continuing to make our way through the dream of the rude. In the last episode, we saw the poet's vision of Christ's cross and the glory and misery that it radiates. Today, the poet grants speech to the cross. We will see the tree that Christ hung on narrate the passion from its own perspective, reframing a story that you may have heard countless times. This medieval poet imagines the cross and Christ as shield partners in battle.

In medieval war, your shield partner would have stood back to back with you, and you would fend off attackers from both sides together. You would have leaned against one another, literally and spiritually, and formed a deep bond as you faced battle together. In the dream of the rude, the cross is Christ's shield partner rather than his enemy. Christ is the young hero charging into battle against. and the cross stands fast, not daring to break or bow down because of his duty to his partner in battle, who is also the creator of the universe. We also see that the cross suffers greatly

alongside Christ. For one thing, it was originally a tree that was ripped up from its roots and taken by enemies, forced to bear criminals. When the soldiers drive nails through Christ's wrists and feet, the cross also bears those scars. By creating a sense of pity for the tree that became the cross, the poet shifts our focus to the real enemy, which is sin. It's easy to fixate on the horror of the cross, because that's not a death that any of us would particularly like to die. But if we get lost in the horror of the crucifixion itself, if we make suffering the villain of the passion, we lose sight of what Christ was doing on that cross in the first place. By making the cross a narrator, a victim of cruelty and a warrior alongside Christ, we are led to look beyond the pain of the

crucifixion and towards the greater picture. The passion was always a battle to save men's souls from evil. And in a revolutionary move, this poet helps us see that the cross is our ally in this battle, not our enemy. With all that said, let's dive in. The Dream of the Rood, translated by Roy M. Liutza. Lying there a long while, I beheld in sorrow the Savior's tree, until I heard it utter a sound. That best of woods began to speak words. It was so long ago. I remember it still, that I was felled from the forest's edge, ripped up from my roots. Strong enemies seized me there, made me their spectacle, made me bear their criminals.

They bore me on their shoulders and then set me on a hill. Enemies enough fixed me fast. Then I saw the Lord of mankind hasten eagerly when he wanted to ascend upon me. I did not dare to break or bow down against the Lord's word. when I saw the ends of the earth tremble. Easily I might have felled all those enemies, and yet I stood fast. Then the young hero made ready.

That was God Almighty. Strong and resolute he ascended on the high gallows, brave in the sight of many when he wanted to ransom mankind. I trembled when he embraced me, but I dared not bow to the ground or fall to the earth's corners. I had to stand fast. I was reared as a cross. I raised up the mighty king, the Lord of heaven.

I dared not lie down. They drove dark nails through me. The scars are still visible, open wounds of hate. I dared not harm any of them. They mocked us both together. I was all drenched with blood flowing from that man's side after he had sent forth his spirit. Much have I endured on that hill of hostile faiths.

I saw the god of hosts cruelly stretched out. Darkness had covered with its clouds the ruler's corpse, that shining radiance. 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 Podcasts. 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 continuing our journey through the Dream of the Rood.