Pledge of the Rapiers - Pennsic XXVI
Knowing that he had a “good thing” (tm) going, Lord Philip Bell again commissioned a set of poems to dedicate at the Atlantian Rapier Melee Tournament held at Pennsic XXVI. The first part was read as a pledge from all entrants in the tournament, the response was then read by HRM Bera Thorbjarnardottir as her response to the fighters.
Aedan
Notes from the Author, Mar Yaakov:
- Read across, not down one column then down the next
- Norse and Old English poetry uses a device called “kennings” where a metaphor substitutes for the actual word. Thus, “soul-windows” for eyes or “land-whales” for cattle.
Pledge of the Rapiers at the Queen’s Tournament:
by Mar Yaakov HaMizrachi
Hear wire-warriors
Words of war now
Brave beautiful
Slayer, spear-queen
Consort of Cuan
Foreign foemen
To butcher like land-whales
Our war-wires strike
Atlantia’s enemies
Dear spear-slayer
Search our soul-windows
Your beauty inspires
Your bravery binds us
Peerless Pearl-queen
Or ravening ravens
ware to our wyrd
weave we for Bera
bane of sword-foes
swear we now stoutly
we conquer for you
we fearlessly face
life-blood spilling
steel-waves washing over
like lemmings drown
doubt not our swearing
see we are yours
our boldness for battle
to beat down your foes
we promise you victory
will ravage our bones
The Queen’s Response
by Mar Yaakov HaMizrachi
Hear my fencers
But bitter is victory
No fame or bard-song
Oaths you have sworn
Fearing no death
Better to die
Then live disgraced
In life or death
And word-fame will follow
you fill me with pride
bought with dishonor
from foils of shame
see you fulfill them
fighting with honor
by blows of war-wire
belying your word
but deal with honor
Whatever befalls