Safiya al-Naghira - Silver Brooch

Safiya al-Naghira
Is before us today
Taking crafts all the way
In the drive toward precise kit
Sewing and woven trim 
Silver Brooch is Our whim
An award that's a fine fit 
Brennan and Caoilfhionn’s aim
As Sultans East, proclaim
The award’s palpable hit
We have increased her ranks
At Archery Champs
Honors were glad to  befit 

Wordcount 57

 KEY 

Syllables 6,6,7

bba 

cca 

dda

Safiya al-Naghira

6b Is before us today

6b taking crafts all the way

7a In the drive toward precise kit

6c Sewing and woven trim 

6c Silver Brooch is Our whim

7a An award that's a fine fit 

6d Brennan and Caoilfhionn’s aim

6d As Sultans East, proclaim

7a The award’s palpable hit

6e We have increased her ranks

6e At Archery Champs

7a Honors were glad to  befit 

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit BLOG!
Marian Kirkpatrick approached me to write this Silver Brooch. The recipient had Turkish listed as their persona, but no particular time period.  With that in mind I found Istanbul Folk Quatrains, Lullabies, and Proverbs which led to Balassi Stanza
And this piece on the Balassi Stanza.
The form is attributed to Bálint Balassi, (1554-1594) a Hungarian poet who wrote in a Turkish style. Technically each Tercet is one poetic sentence.  

Safiya al-Naghira
The recipient's name was more than any of the syllabus available. As such I chose to put their name at the beginning of the scroll, as a title or chapter name in a book. This sets up the importance of her name without trying to cram it into one of the rhyme lines. Also her name, even broken down, had very little usable rhyming sounds. 

VERSE ONE 
Is before us today
Since their name began the scroll it made sense to have the first tercet/sentence be the description of their art. 

Taking crafts all the way
The recipient’s desire to finish garb to the edges, as it were, was described in several ways and in several different mediums. Representing this in the scroll was definitely a priority.

In the drive toward precise kit
This drive to finish their outfits or kits extended to replacing purchased trim with trim they had created. 

VERSE TWO 
Sewing and woven trim 
The second verse begins with essentially reiterating what I just said. Sewing and trim making are specifically mentioned in the recommendation. 

Silver Brooch is Our whim
The name of the award is finally listed.  With a solid rhyme for trim.

An award that's a fine fit 
Coming in with a rhyme the tercet has a well rounded and complete sentence. Most of the rhymes in this scroll are one or two syllable rhymes.  Fairly simple, but that makes for the best rhymes when listened to out loud.

VERSE THREE
Brennan and Caoilfhionn’s aim
I chose to split TRM with their titles.  While I don’t often choose to do that, in the context of the tercet being one sentence, I think it makes sense and adds more depth to the scroll.

As Sultans East, proclaim
Sultan is not TRM’s preferred title.  In context of the scroll and its Turkish inspiration, I felt that “Sultans” gives a better appropriate touch to the recipient of the scroll.

The award’s palpable hit
I could not resist adding a Shakespeare quote here.  Though Hamlet wasn’t written until 1603 and in a completely different language than the verse form that I am following for this scroll, I still included it.  Sometimes, adding an out of period reference (whether it is period if modern) adds to the audience's understanding of the scroll in general.  It could be that I just liked the phrase.

VERSE FOUR
We have increased her ranks
The conclusionary tercet. Where it tells you what was said.

At Archery Champs
Tells you where it was said.

Honors were glad to befit 
And lastly tells you how glad we were to say it!
In scrolls that have multiple words with the same rhyme the key is simplicity.  I tried several words and went through as many variations before I chose to rhyme with “kit.”  

The Balassi Stanza was a delightful rhyme scheme to have discovered. I hope I get more opportunities to create with it in the future.

Photo by Marian Kirkpatrick

Photo by Aislinn Chiabach

Safiya al Naghira - newest member of the Order of the Silver Brooch

Video by Yona Carmichael