Our first look at Jonathan Miles saw
Partner and Parent starting a journey
A Knight with Tyger strength of tooth and claw
Who’s clout was proved in many a tourney
Stalwart and true his boundaries not blurry
Passion for his land was then afire
He planned to Defend, Support, Inspire
Our view anew saw what he was doing
Work toward increasing representation
Inspiring fledgelings: what they’re pursuing
Passions became serious vocation
Then plague arrived causing complication
Though times turned unexpectedly dire
He’s advanced: Defend, Support, Inspire
And today, We, Alberic and Tindel
Eastern Councels grant: Baron of Our Court
Knowing he will continue to propel
The many good folk of Our Sinking Fort,
With superb cause to revel and cavort
WordCount 130
This BLOG’s just six words long (Yah, right)
Fiona had an inspiration piece and based it on the recipient’s persona and photos. I decided on Chaucerian English to match. I found Selected poems by Geoffrey Chaucer, translated by A. S. Kline. I was struck by Chaucer's short poem on “Nobleness," written in the Rhyme Royal. The final refrain of each verse was: “Whether of mitre, crown or diadem.”
That started me thinking of the “hats” particular to the SCA. I tossed around ideas: circlet, coronet and crown. Bare head, circlet or coronet (because the only ones who can wear a “crown” are the Heirs or Their Majesties).
I was discussing the scroll with the Baroness of Settemore Swamp and she emphasized the Baron’s dedication to making connections for folk, inspiring volunteers and defending the rights of the unrepresented. That gave me my inspiration: To end each stanza with, "defend, support, inspire."
I went to Rhymezone and quickly found appropriate rhymes for the CC couplets in my tercet and two couplets (ABA BB CC) as befit the Rhyme Royal.
Rhyme Royal, 7 line stanza.
The stanza is constructed as a tercet and two couplets.
Color Coded: ABABBCC
Our first look at Jonathen Miles saw
Partner and Parent starting a journey
A Knight with Tyger strength of tooth and claw
Who’s clout was proved in many a tourney
Stalwart and true his boundaries not blurry
Passion for his land was then afire
He planned to Defend, Support, Inspire
Our view anew saw what he was doing
Work toward increasing representation
Inspiring fledgelings: what they’re pursuing
Passions became serious vocation
Then plague arrived causing complication
Though times turned unexpectedly dire
He’s advanced: Defend, Support, Inspire
And today, We, Alberic and Tindel
Eastern Councels grant: Baron of Our Court
Knowing he will continue to propel
The many good folk of Our Sinking Fort,
With superb cause to revel and cavort
What will he do next? We hear you inquire:
He’ll ever Defend, Support, Inspire
I quickly had the final couplets of my 3 verses. Once I built the rest of the Rhyme Royal verses built on top of the CC couplets, I would refine them so that the 10 syllables of Iambic pentameter were exact.
I noticed that the translation of the Nobleness poem started the first two stanzas with the same phrase, “Our first stock.” Fiona had particularly requested that I start with O, C or D, in the second stanza as it fit with her inspiration piece. “Our” works well into what a scroll needs to say. I initially wanted to extend it to all three verses, but that didn't hold up; the last stanza of the third verse needed to change to work better in the scroll. I can imagine Chaucer going through a similar process centuries ago.
The three stanza format lends itself quite well to a beginning, middle and end. The first verse, indicative of a beginning, I tried to describe a bit about the recipient himself:
Partner and Parent starting a journey
I made sure to mention his family, his knighthood and his passion for his baronial lands.
In the second verse, I wanted to touch upon subjects that were important to the recipient during his tenure as Baron of Settmour Swamp:
Work toward increasing representation
This was a more literal use of what was in the recommendation, but the word was appropriate. I couldn’t resist the Representation/Vocation rhyme.
Inspiring fledgelings: what they’re pursuing
This was my way of working in the recipient’s pride in making connections and inspiring the volunteers of the barony.
Passions became serious vocation
This last line was a reference to the recipient's research of period armor techniques. It also referred to the saying, “turn your vocation into your avocation" - something we can all try to do.
In the last verse, I wrapped up the piece while putting in the required scroll information. This scroll went out at an Ethereal Court at a virtual event, so I made another reference to Settmour Swamp and Mudthaw with the line:
The many good folk of Our Sinking Fort
I ended the piece with the third repetition and variation of my CC rhyme scheme:
What will he do next? We hear you inquire:
He’ll ever Defend, Support, Iinspire
What was unusual for me here was that I broke up the first C line with a question to the audience. This is not a technique I use often - breaking the fourth wall, almost - but it worked out for the best.
I'm very happy with how this piece came out. Unlike some of my other scrolls, I didn’t really use any direct quotes from the original work - instead, I used the same form and line breakdown. I felt I captured aspects that I hope will lead the recipient to appreciate and reflect upon his time in the Baronial seat.
