ljóð

Ljóð is the Icelandic word for poem or poetry. It can refer to a single poem as well as to poetry as a literary genre. The term derives from Old Norse and is historically linked to the concepts of sound and voice, underscoring the oral and performative aspects of poetry in Icelandic tradition.

Historically, Icelandic poetry has deep medieval roots. Skaldic poetry, composed for kings and chieftains, is known for its complex meter, kennings, and dróttkvætt forms. Eddic poetry, preserved in the Poetic Edda, features mythic and heroic verse with a more direct style. Poets, or skáld, occupied prestigious cultural roles, and their work was transmitted in manuscripts and later saga literature. In the modern period, ljóð has evolved to include diverse forms such as lyric poems, narrative poems, and experimental verse, often written in free verse or less formal meters.

Notable Icelandic poets associated with ljóð include Egill Skallagrímsson, Jónas Hallgrímsson, and Steinn Steinarr, whose work helped shape modern Icelandic language and literature.

Today, ljóð remains a central element of Icelandic literary culture, taught in schools and published in books, magazines, and online, reflecting both national tradition and contemporary experimentation.