A Bard's Blog

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...