A Bard's Blog

A few more links I found: http://www.library.vcu.edu/preservation/curse.html http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/specialcollections/exhibits/past/ploughing/index.htm I was trying to work on a poem for "inspiration" but these curses make me laugh. So, inspired by a favorite curse all around--book in the Monastery of San Pedro in Barcelona I wrote my own. The Original: For him that stealeth, or borroweth and returneth not, this book from its owner, let it change into a serpent in his hand & rend him. Let him be struck with palsy, & all his members blasted. Let him languish in pain crying aloud for mercy, & let there be no surcease to his agony till he sing in dissolution. Let bookworms gnaw his entrails in token of the Worm that dieth not, & when at last he goeth to his final punishment, let the flames of Hell consume him for ever.  from a book in the Monastery of San Pedro in Barcelona I wasn't found of the rhyme from this one but I did like the sentime...

I have previously written my acrostic in the style of François Villon, in French. First, the actualy French again and then an English translation by request.Translation doesn't keep the acrostic or scheme, just gives the meaning. Alienor Allons-y au départ, c’est l'aventure ou rien Liaisons d'amour ou amitié main en main. Ile de France, centre belle Est-ce que tu es encore fidele ? Noyant pas dans l’hiver tristesse Ore de printemps arrive en vitesse Remplie mon cœur en son jeunesse. Alienor Let us go for the journey, it is adventure or nothing. Perhaps a love song or just friendship, hand in hand. Ile de France, center so fair. Are you still true? Drown not it the winter for sadness Now is the time for quick spring gladness Fills up my heart in her youth.

Mixing it up a little, I'm going to start including posts about research, including links to interesting finding. This was originally posted on my livejournal blog http://alienorh.livejournal.com I always knew that books were very valuable in period, but the discovery that clerks wrote in "book curses" against anyone who would steal a book amuses me. I glossed over the apparent used of it when I read Chaucer's "House of Fame" Some examples I loved:  "Whoever steals this book let him die the death; let be him be frizzled in a pan; may the falling sickness rage within him; may he be broken on the wheel and be hanged" Placing Middle English in context By Irma Taavitsainen has a chapter where she discuses the use of the genre. Anathema!: Medieval Scribes and the History of Book Curses‎ by Marc Drogin, apparently also discusses it. "Whoever Alters This, May God Turn His Face from Him on the Day of Judgment": Curses in Anglo-Saxon Le...

Written for the challenge of "Every Ending is a New Beginning"   "Everyone loves a happy ending, but a happy ending that could be the beginning of another adventure is even better. Present a work that gives a new chapter to a well-known tale or new verses to a beloved song." I picked a legend that ends with death ('cause dammit A LOT of Medieval/Renaissance stories DO) and decided to do it as Alienor Hathaway, English Lady at the time of Mary who's worried that the natural order of things is a mess with a Queen on the throne. I had to go against Mariessa's feminist views to write it. The World I live in is in turmoil. A Queen by divine right can only mean the divine retribution. King Arthur’s gravestone at Glastonbury says “Hic jacet Arthurus, rex quondam, rexque furturs” or ‘Here lies Arthur, king that was, king that shall be.’, Hearing tell of this, King Philip, consort of Her Majesty, Queen Mary, has sworn that he would give up all claims and ...

I decided to challenge myself to writing a form poem since I find it easy to write in free verse. So, I thought I'd practice on the rondeau form to start since that's the style for the challenge at Bardic Madness XX. Couldn't write one in English, but I got one in French. So, that's what I ended up presenting. It did include an English Translation but rhyming/rhythm couldn't be kept for the English. Écoutez-moi (Listen to Me!) Écoutez-moi, vous qui est mon témoin De temps en temps tu es trop loin Vis a vis mon histoire Est possible avec tes mémoires? Mais quand même, tu es bien. C'est vrai l'amour en son jardin Qui me dirige sur ce chemin C'est un commencement de nos espoirs Écoutez-moi ! Maintenant, main dans la main Toujours, toujours nos refrains Est nos gloires Mes mots en grimoires Moi qui détesté chérubin! Écoutez-moi !

Returned from Bardic Madness XX with works that were presented. The following is from the Royal Challenge: Wuv, Twoo Wuv… Quote from the web page: "As always, wuv is a big part of what bwings us togevver today. King Siegfried and Queen Elizabeth ask for your best songs, poetry, stories, etc. relating to the joy of true love. In return, They will be offering a lovely wooden harp as a prize for Their (or Their designee’s) favorite performance. Extra applause for Princess Bride references or for finding a use for the word “schmoopy”." A Princess Bride Fan is probably going to recognize that most of these lines were lovingly ripped from the movie and forced into my rhyme. Death cannot stop true love. Although it may cause slight delay. A thousand swords could not sever The love of someone clever. Not more noble a cause. Above a common word and laws. The link of dead…and not quite. A man in black, a lady in white. Behind the masks we wear, There is true love: it is...

To live--or die? Does he love me? Should I suffer for lost love? Or rise up against myself? And end my misery. To die, To weep no more. To end the ache that my heart feels. I yearn for it. To die, To sleep in peace forever. With my father, We lays in the dust For remembrance. My heart is heavy, What is to come? Always fear. Hamlet, would bear is misfortune, Forgetting me and going to the unknown. Why should I bear it? This wronged lover? This lady's torment? The broken spirit? This lack of justice? No voice for my pain? I could end it all. In a river. Why do mothers bear it? To grunt and sweat while giving life? All the while, facing death? Yet all dread what is to come. The unknown beyond that blood and pain of life, Is what we known not. Those noble men -- My father, dead. My true love, mad. My brother, gone. Where may I go? What can I do? To a nunnery-- Or to a river. I go. I don't remember when I wrote this, but I belive it was p...

Song is always dedicated to the inspirational Crowns of Northshield. Sing a song of Northshield sons And Northern daughters too. Raise our banner overhead The Griffin calls to you. CHORUS Raise up the banner of the Compass Star Far from home, we hold dear, From gathering storms of warfare The Griffin Army's here. You needn't be the boldest We're one Army in fields of war, Bugle notes they linger The might Griffins soar. CHORUS Word fame of heart heartbeat We march to do or die. The music's in the people, Free under Northern sky. CHORUS Written for Stephen Du Bois and Ailleanne Faelin at Warriors and Warlor XVI (2009), in which I was named Bardic Champion for their reign. I wrote a war song and was so incredibly nervous I was shaking. I'm proud of myself for this one and it's about time I posted it somewhere. I should note that I wanted to write a song to challenge myself. I found my inspiration in the Queen fighting on the field at Pens...

By Salienor the Foolefeathre (with apologies to Master Ingus Moen) CHORUS Shuffling forth with a scarf on our face To shield from the cold which can hit like a mace Everyone's all huddled up in one place 'Cause CRAP MAN, it's cold here in Northshield! HEAD ONE: Freeing my car from a near-inch of frost HEAD TWO: Wondering just how much mileage we've lost HEAD ONE: Getting snow chains and ignoring the cost BOTH: Oh snowstorm the bane of my Northshield and we're... CHORUS HEAD TWO: Donning my armor that's colder than ice HEAD ONE: Freezing cold armor is not very nice HEAD TWO: Skating a melee... HEAD ONE: I'll not do that twice! BOTH: The landscape is frozen Northshield and we're... CHORUS HEAD ONE: Chapeaus and mantles are proudly displayed HEAD TWO: Hey, look at all of this warm garb we have made! HEAD ONE: Dealing in warmth is our stock and our trade BOTH: Sweet fire the savior of Northshield and we're... CHORUS H...