Dobby Is Free!

I am now officially not the editor of the fighter poems anymore.  Twenty-five years (50 books) is enough I think.  Paul fitz Denis will do a fine job I'm sure.  Best of luck to him.

Ambrose Wyld ~ Pantoum

Ambrose Wyld

(Pantoum)

Immortal Scotsman, Ambrose hight,

A challenge to the ground did fling

Upon the tourney field to fight

Agrippa, once and future king.

A challenge to the ground did fling,

His swordsman’s skill to put to test

Agrippa, once and future king;

Alas, Agrippa proved the best.

His swordsman’s skill he put to test

For Lady Apollonia.

Alas, Agrippa proved the best;

For Ambrose, catatonia.

The Lady Apollonia

Foresaw this outcome from Delphi:

First Ambrose, catatonia;

Then rise he would, fates to defy.

She saw this outcome from Delphi.

Ancient skills she wove by design:

Rise he does, his fate to defy.

Ambrose next will face Byzantine.

Ancient skills woven by design

Can only glimpse what fates portend.

Ambrose faces the Byzantine.

His tourney day comes to an end.

She only glimpsed what fates portend

Upon the tourney field of fight.

His tourney day came to an end;

Immortal Scotsman, Ambrose hight.

Mistress Philippa Llewelyn Schuyler

…is a 15^th century Burgundian wool merchant who thinks she’s a 10^th century Viking weaver.

Fall Crown Tourney '16

Duncan MacBryce ~ englyn penfyr

Duncan MacBryce

(Englyn penfyr)

Day dawns bright on Caid’s Crown Tourney day

     Pennants gay o’er verdant ground

     Catch the breezes eric ‘round.

Silvery sea-horses leap to the fore

     Lion’s roar makes Sabine weep

     Leaves bold Duncan in a heap.

Undaunted, the sea-horseman shakes it off

     Duncan scoffs and takes a stand:

     His lady will rule this land!

A boar-hunting canine rushes the field

     Duncan wheels in battle flush

     ‘Round the eric falls a hush.

Gentle Sabine won’t let herself worry

     Her furious spirit stirs,

     The bard privateer to spur.

Contenders clash, dog and sea-horse engage.

     Battle rages on the lea

     Duncan is brought to his knees.

Duncan’s tourney rounds alas ran their course.

     Tho sea-horseman’s day is past

      His courage is unsurpassed.

Mistress Philippa Llewelyn Schuyler

…is a weaver of words and wadmal.

Fall Crown Tourney '16

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)

Baron Rudolf Fekter ~ awdl gywyth

Baron Rudolf Fekter
fallen in Fall Crown Tourney, A.S. L.

(awld gywydd)

Dancing on an errant breeze--

Flit and freeze and dart and play--

Butterfly with iron heart

Come and start your tourney day.

Alejandro hopes to flick

Pesky insect from the field--

Bat and swat and shoo away--

Rudolf stays; Castillo yields.

Amicia has taken hope--

Eric's rope confines her fears

As Sir Mons strides to the fray.

Rudolf sways; Amicia tears.

Sweetest nectar from the flower,

In her bower, Amicia tends

Rudolf's wounds.  His soul takes wing!

A tender thing, his heart mends.

Once more to the eric fly,

Butterfly, and take your stand.

Killian, a trenchant knight,

Wins the fight in battle grand.

Poor, bedraggled butterfly

Made a try for Caid's crown.

Amicia will soothe your brow,

Rest for now; you've gained renown.

— Mistress Philippa Llewelyn Schuyler

... weaver of words and wadmal.

Fall Crown'15

Lord Duncan Rose ~ englyn penfyr

Lord Duncan Rose

fallen in Fall Crown Tourney, A.S. L

A Fox Tale

(englyn penfyr)

Come, sit by the fire’s glow.  Hear a tale

            Of each baleful strike and blow:

            Duncan’s crown tourney tableau.

Pennants gay and flags a drift on the breeze.

            Heralds’ geas on fighers swift:

            Advancing or given shrift.

Isolde in vert and purpure be-garbed,           

            Lady bard with quill a-stir

Is pleased Duncan’s heart to spur.

Sir Artus, Romano-Brit, takes the field.

            Sword and shield help not a whit;

            Duncan’s head is mighty split.

Isolde soothes his brow, knits his sore wounds.

            Ne’er to swoon, she urges grit

            Duncan finds he’s once more fit.

 Duncan stides upon the field.  Eric ‘round

            Hopes abound; fighters' fates sealed.

            Ketill struck and Duncan reeled.

Duncan Rose fell in the fray.  His lady bard

            Heart en garde, lauds him this day.

            Pray tell, what does the fox say?

           

 -- Pippin Skylark

-- always tart and crisp

Fall Crown Tourey '15