Gee, when I was in fifth grade we had to memorize a poem that started out

    Hwæt! We Gardena    in geardagum,
    þeodcyninga,    þrym gefrunon,
    hu ða æþelingas    ellen fremedon.
    Oft Scyld Scefing    sceaþena þreatum,
    monegum mægþum,    meodosetla ofteah,
    egsode eorlas.

Of course, that was considered contemporary poetry then.