Skip to main content

Lorenzo Gorla's Elevation Words for his Pelican

 Lorenzo, 

Shall I compare thee to a chatelaine? 

Thou art more stalwart and more clement. 

Rough demos used to teach and entertain

Stirs the soul with sword and flying pennant. 

Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines,

Sometimes too wet, too dark, with sun bedimmed,

But every faire thy gen’rous teaching signs

new Eastern fencers who can kill… or limb.

Despite thy fearsome skill with pen and blade,

Thy secret heart protects a gentle spirit 

As all the Roses in this court arrayed

Attest thy courtesy that each may hear it. 

For what is clear for any eye to see

This man’s a more than worthy peer to me.

-------------

I could not attend my friend's elevation this past weekend.  Lorenzo was awarded his Pelican for his service in running SCA demos and recruiting new people. He had asked his Pelican, Alys Mackyntoich if I could speak for him for the Rose. As I was reviewing his body of work, and while thinking of the fact he had a 16th Century persona, the line "Shall I compare thee to a chatelaine?" pop into my head and refuse to leave. 

The only way to make a line of poetry leave your brain is to write it down.  But even after that it would not leave.  So I went to look up the original Shakespeare, sonnet #18.  and realized I could likely filk the rest of that sonnet for my own purposes. 

I quailed at stealing from Shakespeare for only a moment: Shakespeare was a thief of other's stories, I decided it was ok to steal from the best. 

So, line by line, hewing as strictly as I could to the original meter & rhyme scheme, using as many of the original words as I could, I rewrote sonnet 18 for Lorenzo. If you are going to rip from Shakespeare, you have to do it justice.  Sonnet 18 is extremely well known, so I know that the first line alone would likely get a reaction, but I wanted to make it clear to everyone listening to the rest of the poem that I knew precisely what I was doing. 

But also, I wanted Lorenzo to know how much I admire him, and how pleased I am for him that he has joined me in the Order of the Pelican. 

Franz Behem woodcut, 16th Century



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Silver Brooch for Cezillia Raposa

And so she navigated to our shore,  Fair winds had brought her safely to the East, She’d carried brushes, paints and clever lore, With Winston, truest friend and feline beast. Then once she’d found a land with opened doors, She made, for friends and Kings, her art into a feast. This is the land for which she’d ever longed; The sweetness of a home where she belonged. Thus, at the Sixth Ethereal Court of the Eastern Consuls of the East, Tindal and Alberic, do induct Cezilia Raposa into our Order of the Silver Brooch.   ---------- This is a scroll text for one of my dearest friends, Cezillia Raposa.  The scroll was illuminated by Mistress Nataliia and the caligraphy was by Baroness Faeillin, who has since become the Signet of all the Eastern Scribes (a kingdom level job).  This was a fun scroll for us to collaborate on, because Cezillia, Nataliia and I have worked together for other ...er...  victims.. in the past, and Nataliia also used to be the Signet, so there was a lovely symmetry in
2 comments
Read more

Court Barony on Copper for Pakshalika Kananbala

  [ Additional Photos ] Siddham!  Success to you! Victorious is the race of Eastern Kings, and long the line of its forebearers; 105 generations of Kings.  Grandparents, Ozur, bringer of the rain, and Fortune of the 1,000 blessings, Mother Margarita, stronger than an iron lotus, who birthed twin tigers of valor, Tindal and Alberic, who reign wisely during an epoch of peace.  They honor, address and command all who have gathered together, nobility, kingdom ministers, advisors, governors of regions, as well as servants of the king, to know that a court barony is to be given to Pakshalika Kananbala.  She is worthy to be rewarded as an example for good people, possessing a personal appearance that is commended, having an undisturbed mind, and versed in the three Vedas. Given by the Kings on the occasion of Their Court, in the time of the new moon during the summer heat, AS 56, consisting of a village near Concordia of the Snows, and a great field of puti-grass flanked on all sides with man
Post a Comment
Read more

A Dinosaur Poem for Maika on the Day of her Elevation

Occasionally I write stuff for the SCA that is left turn from my usual.  This one was one of those.  I have known Maika for an appallingly long time.  She has always had a thing about dinosaurs. When I officiated at her wedding, plastic dinosaur toys were scattered all over the centerpieces. During the reception guests redistributed the toys, and they ended up in my hair, in my purse and slipped into my pockets, like a case of reverse pickpocketing. When she was given a writ for the Pelican I figured I owed her at least this much.   Her regalia included dinosaurs embroidered on the sides of her Pelican cloak, and there were dinosaur toothpicks included as part of the vigil food.  ++++++++++++++ I am Countess Chatrikam Meghanta and I will speak for the Order of the Rose for this candidate:   For the Roses speak when they’re inspired,  Or when a candidate’s admired By an Order, and is required, To answer questions, kneel before us.  Maika is that candi-date, whose work we can not calcula
Post a Comment
Read more