I remember a Signet of the East Kingdom referring to Tyger’s Cubs as absolute candy: A delightful treat to work on. This assessment is that truth. A joy to work on.
Not only do I know this recipient personally, but their parent as well. I was able to contact them and get all sorts of wonderful details to include in the words and pass on to Fiona!
I discovered that the recipient has a 14th century Scottish persona, and my mind turned immediately to Octosyllabic Rhyming couplets.
Trying to find other sources besides The Brus, I landed on the poem The Lady of the Lake by By Sir Walter Scott.
Yes, this is a Victorian poem and usually you will see me avoid it like the plague. I do make exceptions and a Tyger’s Cub is one that I make exceptions for!
As it is, I read the poem to get into the mood. Most of the direct inspiration came from the recipient themselves.
At Arts and Sciences today
In Shire Quintavia’s way
I started the ball rolling with the event name and location. No clever wordplay, other than making sure the syllable count stayed true.
Sybil Ingen Joachim is here
With interests ranging far and near
Not knowing the exact pronunciation of Joachim, I guessed it was at 2 syllables. Even if the guess was incorrect, I would have written it the same. A standard allowance is made for names.
With the second part of the couplet, I really started delving into the recipient.
Like a magpie, she flits and flies
Forward to her next enterprise
While cats and horses were the animals written in association with the recipient, I lit upon corvids,inspired by something their parent said when we discussed the award (seen in the next line).
A Collector of shiny things
The brightest bobs and bits of string
The phrase “collector of shiny things.” Became the true inspiration of the scroll. The full hit rhyme of string seemed so logical a rhyme that I didn't even look it up on RhymeZone.com, it just came to me.
This couplet was also heavily influenced by he Walrus and the Carpenter
BY LEWIS CARROL:
The time has come,' the Walrus said,
To talk of many things:
Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax —
Of cabbages — and kings —
And why the sea is boiling hot —
And whether pigs have wings.'
After all the influences fused into the second line of the couplet, “The brightest bobs and bits of string”
I deliberately changed the common phrase, “bits and bobs” to’ bobs and bits. “ it broke up how recognizable the modern phrase is and just worked better in the sentence.
For scrolls like Tyger’s Cubs I don't hesitate to include modern elements. Disguising the reference was more so that the focus wouldn't be on it. It's all about the balance of the scroll.
Rulers, Matthias & Feilinn
Of the East and all those therein
This couplet listed Their Majesties and the kingdom. I do love having a good rhyme for the Majesties' names. With the various syllable counts of the various poetic forms it can become difficult to do so.
Brag that We have a collection
Of Small Tygers: East’s reflection
I really like how this couplet came out. Working directly off the previous one I made it so that the royalty takes pride in the Tyger’s Cubs for children reflect the kingdom.
We are delighted to now dub
Sybil, the latest Tyger’s Cub
In the last sentence the award is named,with a definitively solid rhyme of dub and Cub.
