头韵诗节选（摘自J.R.R. 托尔金译作《高文爵士与绿骑士》第三章）
This king lay at Camelot at Christmas-tide
with many a lovely lord, lieges most noble,
indeed of the Table Round all those tried brethren,
amid merriment unmatched and mirth without care.
There tourneyed many a time the trusty knights,
and jousted full joyously these gentle lords;
then to the court they came at carols to play.
For there the feast was unfailing full fifteen days,
with all meats and all mirth that men could devise,
such gladness and gaiety as was glorious to hear,
din of voices by day, and dancing by night;
all happiness at the highest in halls and in bowers
had the lords and the ladies, such as they loved most dearly.
With all the bliss of this worlds they abode together,
the knights most renowned after the name of Christ,
and the ladies most lovely that ever life enjoyed,
and he, king most courteous, who that court possessed.
For all that folk so fair did in their first estate
abide,
Under the heaven first in flame,
their king most high in pride;
it would now be hard to name
a troop in war so tried.
托尔金的头韵是公认很漂亮的。不过他在最后五行还是用了句尾韵，这是对原古英语作者的风格的保留。至于原古英语作者为什么要用混用两种押韵法？大概因为句尾韵读起来还是更顺口吧，在通篇的的头韵里可以起到一些调剂作用。

[1] “首重音”应该是托尔金在译作中遵守的规则，但听过另一种说法，头韵应按每个单词里最重的音节。这样的话，alliteration的韵就该在第四个音节上，al-li-ter-A-tion。然而我并不是很清楚那种说法更对。

路过捧场