Carl and Scop

By THLaird Colyne Stewart, April AS 50 (2016)

At fire a scop was speaking

While around him all were drinking

He spoke of his deeds

The giving of beads

And the seeds of thinking.

At back of the flaming fire

A carl calls scop a liar

Calls out tale teller

Calls him lie seller

Pit dweller, insult dire.

The carl, no beard on his chin,

In front of his family and kin,

With head full of mead,

And eyes full of greed,

Pays no heed to his sin.

The scop silent looks at the churl,

Then asks him when he became earl?

What deeds has he done?

What tales has he spun?

Low-born son of swine-pearl.

In what realms the halls he has raised?

In whose heart of hearts is he praised?

What monsters he’s slain,

To whom is he bane,

In the rain what towns razed?

Rebuffed, the carl pulls back his seat,

‘Til all that is seen are his feet,

Consumed by the dark,

Struck now with a mark,

Far from spark and fire’s heat.

Written in Clogyrnach (pronounced clog-ir’-nach) which is n awdl stanza form. It consisted of two 8-syllable lines, followed by two 5 syllable lines and two 3-syllable lines. The last two lines or four lines could also be collapsed into one line. I have chosen to collapse the last two.