For Baroness Eleanor von Atzinger upon being named a Vigilant of the Order of the Pelican

By THLaird Colyne Stewart, August AS 50 (2015)

In service she’s known for her toil,

In name of both low-born and royal;

To Crown both loving and loyal;

So El,nor is called with a cheer.

At king’s word she bends down to kneel,

Astonished that this could be real,

And great ones bring treasure to heel,

So El’nor is draped with new gear.

They speak of her virtues with pride,

As of her great deeds they confide,

All true words that can’t be denied,

So El’nor’s proclaimed far and near.

The Queen now she bids her to stand,

And raises her up with her hand,

To show her to all in the land,

And El’nor stands proudly as Peer.

Written as a zéjel, a Spanish form likely originally Arabic in origin. I used the most common four verse form (rhyming aaab, cccb, dddb, eeeb) and the most common kind of line (octosyllabic).