In olden times
to sing in rhymes
was honored by the kings
and queens
and harps were gifted
banners lifted
wars were lost and won
their stories sung
the mighty and the brave
the maiden and the knave
the glory stories fed
the fires of hearts and
virtues praised in golden
notes in olden days
bards sang and spells
wove vales and dells
and mountains high
the lands they loved were
all and more
and welcomed at the
feasting table royally toasted
given ring, and land and horse
even wandering, gold
in his purse
in olden times
and days gone by
the stories loved and proud
would that the stories of today
make proud to sing in
tomorrows halls
by poets, bards, and minstrels all
and not be shame
a grievous fame
penitent unsung no strings
no words eyes turned
the music gone for all until
the world can find its poets soul
a harpers thrill
until until
in olden times
I am reading Charles de Lint’s Moonheart. New to this author but introduced in his story to Taliesin a Welsh bard in the 6th century. Urban fantasy that combines modern day Canada with almost poetic otherworld bards and mages.
Let’s just call him the exuberant idiot. (That would be me.) Lovely. I should have checked in before I went off on my Muravian rant over in Muravia. Life – and your writing – are full of checks and balances to my full-of-my-selfness.
How interesting that your bardic song here weaves, as does de Lint, an urban now with the days of bards, precisely with the use of rhymed and unrhymed lines. I hope you read (sang) this aloud. It definitely works: I found myself exhilarated by the flights from rhyme and then brought back to a purpose (a longing) by the splash of rhymed lines of images. Quite wonderful. Such is the magic of our Renaissance Fairs and the magic of this poem.
Interesting 🙂
Picked up some de Lint from the biblioteca. I’m on the list for Moonheart. The two slighter volumes that I found look like you’ve found a soul brother for your Reluctant Wizard and Wolf Moon stories.
I just read your “About” link. Funny movies? Have you seen “Fantastic Mr. Fox”? If you ain’t, you should. Pure magic. Walden just turned me on to it.
I’ll have to go a huntin 🙂