KEY
Alliteration
RAINBOW - Rhymed Couplets
Italics for Heraldic Latin
Mohammad, Corotica!
Royals by right of Our law
In time of trying tempest
Indubitably impressed
Since Seigine Ruadh Friseal
Here today afore Us all
Their’s a singular story
Sewing et Embroidery
Shown Us skills most studious
Harp handiwork much discussed
As years of accomplishment;
Are here for acknowledgement
We, as One, have witnessed this,
Resolve not to be remiss:
She’s now of the Maunche Order
Guerdon Granted Arms to Bear:
Quarterly argent and purpure, in bend two harps gules
The Maunche is for all the arts
Comprised of most complex parts
Done at BIRKA’s Market Day
Amongst fights and shopping fray
The 57th year in
Society’s quiet din
January 28
Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a BLOG and Grooving with a Pict
This was the first assignment I had for a Pictish persona! I excitedly took to the intertweebz to find information. Whereupon I quickly discovered that the language of the Picts, Ogham, is considered a dead language.
With this in mind I decided to write the piece in Old Irish, due to the proximity of the Pictish language to the Goidelic (or Gaelic) languages.
There are many references to Picts' proximity to the early Irish people, as well as treating them synonymously and I found references to their language being called Primitive Irish (The Conversion and the Transition from Primitive to Old Irish c. 367 - c. 637 by John T. Koch). As such I chose to write this scroll in the same version of Old Irish that I had written a pelican scroll previously. Project Gutenberg Selections From Ancient Irish Poetry also provided several translations of Old Irish works which I read through for inspiration.
Mohammad, Corotica!
Royals by right of Our law
Right off in the first couplet TRM names together fit the syllable count. But not any of the alliteration. The formulas of the scroll do take precedence over other aspects of the scroll. I did manage to rhyme with Her Majesty's name, to aid in the cohesion of the piece.
In time of trying tempest
Indubitably impressed
Trying tempest is a reference to the time of year that the event takes place. Birka is held at the end of January. The gist is that Their Majesties are impressed by the recipient who is named in the next couplet.
Since Seigine Ruadh Friseal
Here today afore Us all
I made a guess that the recipient's name was 6 syllables long. Adding the first word gained the couplet alliteration and a proper sense of grammatical flow.
Their’s a singular story
Sewing et Embroidery
I literally tossed in some Latin to make it alliterated. It's not proper grammar in any language. But it alliterated and that was what I needed there. Every rule I make is easily broken for the sake of the scroll, I guess?
Shown Us skills most studious
Harp handiwork much discussed
The harp is in the recipient’s arms and much of the recommendation centered around skills with the harp, so I made sure to mention it.
As years of accomplishment;
Are here for acknowledgement
I particularly like this couplet. They are set up almost the same, starting with three one syllable words followed by a 4 syllable word. While accomplishment and acknowledgement rhyme because they have the same suffix, they are separate enough words to make the rhyme interesting.
We, as One, have witnessed this,
Resolve not to be remiss:
The point of view of Their Majesties is particularly strong here.
She’s now of the Maunche Order
Guerdon Granted Arms to Bear:
Quarterly argent and purpure, in bend two harps gules
Guerdon- noun
a reward, recompense, or requital.
ORIGIN OF GUERDON
1325–75; Middle English
This seemed the perfect word to use here. I do tend to look up uncommon words that I use in scrolls Both to ascertain their definitions and to avoid Victorian words. I find it helps the tone of what I am writing. This was unfamiliar to me, and I was glad to get the chance to use it.
The Maunche is for all the arts
Comprised of most complex parts
While not actively mentioned in the scroll, I hope that this couplet alludes to the teaching and research that the recipient is credited.
Done at BIRKA’s Market Day
Amongst fights and shopping fray
I like the day/fray rhyme here and I think it particularly describes the atmosphere of the event.
The 57th year in
Society’s quiet din
January 28
The final rhyme of the scroll, and the final bits of information.
I was very excited to learn a new poetic structure, only to have my hopes dashed! For dead language is dead.
However, it gave a new understanding of the Picts and Ancient Ireland. It is the land of my personal persona, although I do consider myself from a later period.
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