Monday, July 11, 2016

The Tourney Dance ~ Pantoum


The Tourney Dance
(Pantoum)

The steps are plain:
In garb or gown,
In plate or chain
The eric ‘round

In garb or gown
They promenade
The eric ‘round
On Tourney Day

They promenade
As fighters dash
On Tourney Day
And titans clash

As fighters dash
Across the field
These titans clash—
Advance or yield

Across the field
List shields display:
Advance or yield
To all who play

List shields display
And heralds cry
To all who play
Some live, some die

The herald’s cry
Moves ‘round the field
Some live, some die
And fates are sealed

Move ‘round the field
And count the ones
Whose fates are sealed
Whose day is done

Now count the ones
Who still remain
Their day’s not done;
Just one will reign

Few still remain,
The call to heed
Just one will reign
O’er all Caid

The call they heed
To try their hand
O’er all Caid
To rule this land

They try their hand
In plate or chain
To rule this land:
The steps are plain.

--Mistress Philippa Llewelyn Schuyler

...weaver of words and wadmal

Spring Crown Tourney A.S. L (2016)

No comments:

Post a Comment