D
DesEsseintes
Guest
you can actually read and understand OE?
no, finnish isn't really related to OE. OE is a germanic language and germanic languages have descended from proto-indo-european. finnish is a uralic language derived from proto-uralic. some linguists have suggested a relationship between indo-european and uralic languages, though, but even if that's the case, OE and finnish would be like each other's 23th cousin 17 times removed.
I can, yes, though since I studied it at university several years ago I am pretty rusty. It always amused me when students would feebly describe Shakespeare as 'Old English'. A little Beowulf would usually put their comprehension problems in context.
And Finnish is fascinating in its relatively empty family tree, isn't it? Though not quite as wonderfully mysterious as Basque. Isolates are always the one thing that brings out the weird ancient conspiracy theorist in me - that, and walking around Santorini and thinking, 'Yes, this really was Atlantis'.
Thanks for the poem - I'm away for a few days, but might have a go at it next week.

Tell us why it moves you, why you're so enraptured by it.