A Value Map for Participation in the SCA

Gazal for Suba

I had intended to be at Bardic Champs (03/05/16) to speak words for Suba in person, but because of my duties to a different SCA project I had to write something and pass it off to someone else to read.  I lucked out and Her Majesty Caoilfhionn agreed to read my words as the Rose during Suba's elevation to the Pelican.

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My words took the form of a Ghazal, which is a Persian form of poetry, so it is appropriate for her persona. 

Rumi, Hafez and various other sufi poets wrote Ghazals. Ghazals are also present in late period India as well, so it is appropriate for my SCA Indian Poetess persona as well.

First: a totally skip able explanation on Ghazals, but reading it may increase your pleasure in the poem. 

A ghazal in English can be hard, because the particular Persian Rhyme scheme which gives ghazals their beauty in Farsi or Urdu can sound sing-songy in English. 

The rules for a ghazal are: Each line of the poem must have the same meter. In English we confine ourselves to the same number of sylables per line, in this case 12. 

Ghazals are always in couplets. And each couplet must be a complete thought. So each couplet can stands alone, like a pearl on a necklace.

Originally Ghazals could run to hundreds of couplets, but eventually they settled down to 5 to 12 couplets.  This one has 7.

Ghazals don't rhyme, at least not in the way we think of rhyming in English, instead the first couplet uses the same word at the end of each of it's lines.

Then every couplet that follows uses the same word at the end of the couplet.

In this case I used the word "side". 

Using the word "side" allowed me to use additional words in English that contain the word "side", like "inside" or "decide".  Additionally, repeating the same word more than once is totally allowed.  I could have used only "side" at the end of each word and followed the rules for Ghazal creation.

Ghazals usually speak of longing for The Beloved, meaning either longing for their romantic partner or in Sufi and Bhakti poetry, yearning for connection to The Divine.  I have used that idea but hopefully in a non creepy way.  

Ghazals are usually "signed" which means in the last couplet the poet sticks in their name so that everyone know who wrote it, and I have done that here. 

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A Ghazal for Suba

I am far away, yearning to be by your side,

to see this lady-fair blossom, transform inside. 

She of the random dishrag, voice pure as a lark,

will kneel before her Crowns, Pelicans by her side.

What brought our beloved here? One had better ask

who hosts events where our kingdom draws, fire-side.

Courtesy, as braided into her name as love, 

is service, or so the Crowns of the East decide.

She does not fear to speak her conscience or her mind, 

Suba al-Hadid has a spine of steel inside.

We peers eulogize the living with our praises; 

we hope they take our words and treasure them inside. 

Treasure this, beloved, a peer you are. The Rose

poet declares, Marguerite... and Countess besides.