Her Royal Heritage

By TH Laird Colyne Steward, Lupine Bard, November AS 51 (2016)

My Queen has asked me to recite

Fair words about her forebears bright—

“My regal mothers, were they fierce,

And with sharp spears the foemen pierced?

Or were they kind and debonair,

With flowers in their braided hair?

And did they work with silk and thread,

Or were they bookish and well read?

Of horses did they know their way,

And could they lead the hounds that bay?

Oh tell me, poet, of my past,

And of my line, my mothers passed.”

“My fairest queen, hear now your lore,

So many others gone before,

Lo each of them were royal true,

And many were the things they’d do;

But there was one who did them all,

Who led her folk in field and hall,

With those of wolf and of the bear,

Met strong the tygre’s steely stare,

She rode her stead in battle’s hell,

And strode with spear and never fell.

She bled her blood, she worked her hands,

For betterment of all our lands.

With needle, thread, she knew her art,

And always giving from her heart,

She clothed so many ‘gainst the cold—

Yet, wait! For more there must be told!

Around her children laughing play,

While hounds, obedient, panting stay;

Within her rooms are piled tomes

Among her pins and fancy combs,

And red and yellow hair bound flowers,

From which she’s read in midnight hours.

So worthy she, so right and true,

A Pelican and Laurel too,

Countess, Duchess and Baroness,

Her name to you I will confess

‘Tis Adrielle, the Iron Queen,

Whose virtues I see in your mien.

Xristina, ruler, sovereign,

My duty now is duly done.”

During the reign of Siegfried II and Xristina, the people of Ealdormere were challenged to write a song, poem or story about one of the Queens of Ealdormere. I choose Her Grace, Adrielle Kerrec, who I feel epitomizes all that is noble within our Society. I wrote my poem as an amas, which was a genre in 7^th century Ireland that extolled the virtues of a local saint.