The Praise of Kaylah

(Upon being named a Vigilant of the Order of Defense)

By TH Laird Colyne Stewart, Feb AS 51 (2017)

Let me eloquently praise in rhymes

The might of worthy skill

That with sword can foe-blood spill.

Your frame, adorned in chosen pink,

Through the battle seen to slink,

Weapons ring the foes like chimes.

Kaylah, Rozak, you fight like fire

Consuming wood; you drink

In joy in field or shire,

Until you’ve had your fill.

Axe-adorned, most dire,

In the press you find your thrill,

Your smile seen by all.

Monarchs now demand you

Take on burden, kneel until

A collar drapes you. On the hill

And in the lists where renown grew

Teach and fight on ever higher

In your heart be held not thrall

Except to honour. Now with wink

Of defence be you master now

Never from the call to shrink.

Based on “The Praise of Mahākāla,” a Mongolian Buddhist poem written by Choiji Odser around 1305. I have tried to emulate the rhyme scheme of the first twenty-two lines as closely as possible.

Ealdormere’s First Master of Defense

For Baron Giovanni de Enzinas

By THLaird Colyne Stewart, December AS 50 (2015)

In northern lands the swords were drawn

And scholars faced epee and foil

‘Til one impressed the sitting royal

Was told to face the coming dawn

In northern lands the swords were drawn

About his neck white collar’s clasped

To mark him as entitled peer

The first, like him, of Ealdormere

While in his hand a sword is grasped

About his neck white collar’s clasped

A man of metal and of art

Who studies words of written worth

And teaches with both joy and mirth

He who has a generous heart

A man of metal and of art

In northern lands the swords were drawn

And scholars faced epee and foil

‘Til one impressed the sitting royal

Was told to face the coming dawn

In northern lands the swords were drawn

A ballata. This poetic and musical form was in use from the late 13th to the 15th century in Italy. It was one of the most prominent secular musical forms at the time.

Its rhyme scheme is usually AbbaA, with the first and last stanzas having the same text. It is similar to the French virelai (not the ballade, as the name would suggest). The first and last A are called aripresa, the b lines are piedi (feet), and the fourth line is a volta. Longer ballate (the plural of ballata) may be found with different rhyme schemes such as AbbaAbbaA. The two b lines usually have exactly the same music, though eventually they would have an open and close ending.