Aneleda Falconbridge

May 12, 2011November 16, 2011

Song for the Bare Blade Tavern Brawl

“This is a special song for my favored a-muse, Ane du Vey. Note that in “amuse” there’s always a muse! There are extra lyrics in case Vey isn’t there to kil…er…honor. It was written at the Bare Blade Tavern Brawl in 2004. This is one of those songs that should be a warning to all those who would cross the bards…or try to carry them off with the cashbox…”

http://www.mbouchard.com/misc/bareblade.mp3

Wo ho hey
We’ll drink and fight today
We’ll vie for gold
And wealth untold
But only if we kill Vey*!

For `tis the Bare Blade Brawl
So come hither one and all
Leap through the din
Go rushing in
We’ll carry ya if ya can’t crawl!

Chorus * * * *

The bribes fly near and far
The dying are lit’ring the bar
The fallen run
Right out they come
To return with a rabid “yar!”

Chorus * * * *

We’ll play our games of chance
And bet on the fencer’s dance
The clink of swords
From brutal hordes
Lamenting their broken pants

Chorus * * * *

The tavern’s full of cheer,
Paranoid men, and beer! (BEER!)
The blades hit high
The wounded cry
“Oh bring me my last one here!”

Wo ho hey
We’ll drink and fight today
We’ll vie for gold
And wealth untold
But only if we kill Vey!

Wo ho hey
We’ll drink and fight today
We’ll vie for gold
And wealth untold
But only if we kill Vey!
Kill Vey – But only if we kill Vey.

HEY!

* * * * * * *

*Alternate choruses, to be sung if Vey isn’t there.

Wo ho hey
We’ll drink and fight today
We’ll vie for gold
And wealth untold
and pillage our friends where they lay OR For we’re fencers merry and gay!

May 12, 2011April 10, 2013

Ode to Endewearde

Oh Endeweard, oh Endewearde
the Star of the East,
your folk so fair,
your lands divine,
you bid us join your feast.

For your great rivers running wide
as the mighty ocean tends the tide
where in peace and joy men lived and died
oh Endewearde my home.

Chorus

What massive trees, how wide and strong,
shelt’ring man and beast who come along
we honor them in reverent song
oh Endewearde my home.

Chorus

Your mountains rise up to great height
while endless stars give light to night
as the moon reflects in your waters bright
oh Endewearde my home.

Chorus

The morning sun lights first our fields
what wonders the wheat and barley yields
before your bounty each one kneels
oh Endewearde my home.

Chorus

The folk of our land are brave and wise
filled each with the vrtues all men prize
we take them in with wonderous eyes
oh Endewearde my home.

Chorus

Though far from you I may have flown
with wanderlust to which all youth are prone
Now that I returned, I never need roam
oh Endewearde my home.

Chorus

May 12, 2011September 24, 2012

Love Song for the Poetically Challenged

“This song was written for my wonderful husband, before he was my husband, and is also for the Baroness Elspbeth of Bridge and Ralph the Carter. It has, in its time, become an anthem for fellow Sunflowers of the Apocalypse.”

You can listen to the tune right here….

Oh she’ll hang me
then she’ll boil me
and she’ll cut me in half thrice
if I cannot speak
some whisper sweet
that will somehow come out nice

for my love is not a dainty rose
but is hardy, tall and strong
like the golden flower out in yon field
feeding birds the winter long

ah my love is wise as the bonny trees
all gathered in the wood –
not that skinny dancing willow she
but the grand old oak so good!

Oh she’ll hang me..etc

Oh my love is not the dancing wave
that flits along the shore
but the giant rock of the ocean cliff
that stands forever more.

I have seen the love of many fair maids
though none so brave and true –
Dear, if I wanted just the fairest maid,
I’d not be in love with you!

(the Lady replies)

Oh she’ll hang me
then she’ll boil me
and she’ll cut me in half thrice
if I cannot speak
some whisper sweet
that will somehow come out nice

Oh I’ll hang you
and I’ll boil you!
and I would cut you in half thrice
but you have not said
one single word
that was not fair and nice

You say I am strong as the sturdy oak
that flimsy I will not be,
nor a sweet and sheltered fading rose
that the sun will never see!

True, the fairest maid may not be I
of those across the land,
but my love for you is of solid rock
while they are grains of sand.

So I’ll hang – your coat
and I’ll boil – some tea
and the new bread I will slice.
Now give up for me
thy poetry
here just come and kiss me thrice.

So I’ll hang your coat
and I’ll boil some tea
and the new bread I will slice
now give up for me
thy poetry
here just come and kiss me thrice

So give up for me
thy poetry
here just come and kiss me thrice.

so give up for me / I’ll give up for thee
thy poetry / my poetry
here just come / I’ll just come
and kiss me thrice / and kiss thee thrice.

May 11, 2011July 13, 2015

Verses on Fealty from a Bardic Champion

Below the sword she softly kneels,
heart pounding in her chest like peals
from church bells on high.
A sea fills her eyes –
she would cry here, revealed.

Her hand upon the pommel, there,
before her graceful King she swears
unto him all aid
while on his crusade,
serenade and declare.

Her voice will burst with song and tale
at his behest. She shall regale
to allies and foes
tales of the East, those
he has chose her to hail.

Accepting oath, he raises her
as honor great he does confer.
Slowly now she stands
more to serve her land,
his command sweet as myrrh.

2-7-11

A Poem in the Welsh Clogyrnach form for King Gryffith FitzWilliam

May 11, 2011July 13, 2015

Scroll for EK Queen’s Rapier Champion AS 45

Sir Edward Grey of Lochleven
wreathed with greatest honor is revealed,
and with the most esteem, picked from the field.

Forbearance and Honor noted our queen,
Beloved lady of bliss, Aikaterine.
The rapier swift has its song to sing
And dances as swallows dance in spring
Through the field’s rite,
Bright glinting light
This blade did supply
You being near
We shall not fear,
Though Death stand by.

With you the swords take edge, the heart grows bold;
From you in fee their lives your liegemen hold.
Our lady Queen smiles on this one’s goodwill
Thus now the Champion’s role thou must fulfill.
Bless then the hour
That gives the power
In which you may,
At bed and board,
Embrace your sword
Both night and day.

From Bergental through all the East ring true
Thus mark we January twenty-two
Anno Societis forty-five
When the Queen’s Rapier Champion did arrive
Bless then the one
Whose duty done
With skill and grace,
and courtesy
we honor thee,
Signed in this place…

Honor, great honor, from our noble queen,
Beloved lady of bliss, Aikaterine.

Notes on the piece:

This poem is based on The Forest’s Queen by Philip Massinger, <span>originally published in The Guardian in 1633. Below is the original, from which the central part of the poem is hugely based (because it was sooooo perfect!) The scan works better on paper than out loud in parts because our lovely Queen of Love and Beauty is sounds the “e” at the end of </span>Aikaterine (Aikaterine-ah.) I didn’t want to mar the beautiful look of the piece’s symmetry with the original by mucking about too much, so I decided to live with it even though it’s an extra syllable here and there. Consider it a bonus!

THE ORIGINAL WORK: THE FOREST’S QUEEN by: Philip Massinger

Welcome, thrice welcome to this shady green,

Our long-wished Cynthia, the forest’s queen!

The trees begin to bud, the glad birds sing

In winter, changed by her into the spring.

We know no night,

Perpetual light

Dawns from your eye:

You being near,

We cannot fear,

Though death stood by.

From you our swords take edge, our hearts grow bold;

From you in fee their lives your liegemen hold.

These groves your kingdom, and our laws your will;

Smile, and we spare; but if you frown, we kill.

Bless then the hour

That gives the power

In which you may,

At bed and board,

Embrace your lord

Both night and day.

Welcome, thrice welcome to this shady green,

Our long-wished Cynthia, the forest’s queen!