In his An Ecclesiastical History of the English People, the Venerable Bede (c. 673-735) records that Caedmon was an illiterate farmer working for a monastery who at first avoided singing. "Therefore, at feasts, when it was decided to have a good time by taking turns singing, whenever he would see the harp getting close to his place, he got up in the middle of the meal and went home" (25). Modern commentators presume that Caedmon actually "concealed his skill from his fellow workmen and from the monks because he was ashamed of knowing 'vain and idle' songs".
So take a journey in time with me and thanks to Bede, enjoy this shy singer's poem!
