eveglass: (books)
eveglass ([personal profile] eveglass) wrote2006-09-07 10:34 pm

New piece: I met a bard upon a moonstruck night

A few days ago, I asked for requests for new bardic pieces people wanted me to write, mostly as a way of gaining inspiration to actually put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, as the case might be). The first one that caught my muse was the one by [livejournal.com profile] emerlion, "write a sonnet about an experience you had at Pennsic."

Sad to say, the experience that stood out most in my mind was being snubbed by a certain someone on the Tuesday of War Week. I had hoped to be going back to his tent, and he wound up going back with someone else. I was, shall we say, miffed. But that was the memory my muse focused on, so here's the sonnet about it:


I met a bard upon a moonstruck night,
Beside the fire listened to his song,
His eyes shone bright as diamonds in the light,
His voice resounded rich, and deep, and strong.

Our eyes crossed paths before the flick'ring glow,
He placed a gentle hand upon my knee.
His cloak about my shoulders seemed to show
That shortly to his tent we both would flee.

He rose, he said but for the briefest time,
It was an hour more 'till he returned,
And on his arm I saw a maiden fine!
Her lips received his kiss while me he spurned.

But in this choice 'tis he who missed the mark,
For I am fire; she the merest spark.


By Katherine Ashewode,
based on actual events of Pennsic XXXV (2006)


Constructive criticism and other comments are welcome.

[identity profile] warmbear.livejournal.com 2006-09-08 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
I like it, it is too short though, it needs a chorus to break it up and make it last more than 12.3 seconds. I cant wait to hear you sing it. wish I could make you feel better too.

[identity profile] loreleiskye.livejournal.com 2006-09-08 05:21 am (UTC)(link)
very very nice :)

Only critique (might just be personal preference); unless the repetition was deliberate- there's a lot of use of he/him.

But I like the flow, use of imagery, and it comes across with a stong voice.

Well done!

[identity profile] emerlion.livejournal.com 2006-09-08 12:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Actually there's a very nice use of imagery in this piece.

The only suggestions I'd make would be to rewrite the first line of the couplet, and even there, only the first part: I don't think you need to say you are in pain, because the stanza right before it says that quite well.

Instead of "it's he who missed his mark", which is excellent by the way, try "'tis he...".

Again, huzzah!