It's eddaic verse. I can't offhand remember the rules about where the alliteration has to appear, but I did write a bit myself once for an RPG plot involving Norse mythology.
Fearless they were, family, fjord-dwellers Sculptors of metal, makers of masterpieces Blood-kin of Tyrfing, tenders of straw-harm Children of Ymir, All-father's chosen Youth-dull they were, Jotun-born earth-forgers Sif's hair beguiled them, sullied their senses Drawn through the ferry-road, down to the cold edge Found their doom-bringer, death of the forest
The one thing Tolkien's verse doesn't have is kennings. I used lots of them to make it harder for the players to understand. Now I have to look up 'blood-kin of Tyrfing' to remind myself what I was talking about.
no subject
Fearless they were, family, fjord-dwellers
Sculptors of metal, makers of masterpieces
Blood-kin of Tyrfing, tenders of straw-harm
Children of Ymir, All-father's chosen
Youth-dull they were, Jotun-born earth-forgers
Sif's hair beguiled them, sullied their senses
Drawn through the ferry-road, down to the cold edge
Found their doom-bringer, death of the forest
The one thing Tolkien's verse doesn't have is kennings. I used lots of them to make it harder for the players to understand. Now I have to look up 'blood-kin of Tyrfing' to remind myself what I was talking about.