Greetings from your Poeta!

There's a lot going on poetry-wise! Check out http://poeta.atlantia.sca.org for news on competitions and the like, and to see the featured poet of the month! In other news, the Windmasters' Hill Scriptorium has recently begun experimenting with poems as scroll texts. Talk to your local scriptorium if you're interested in trying that out in your area! Meanwhile, this month's poem is based on Ben Jonson's "To Lucy, Countess of Bedford, with John Donne's Satires." It's stretching the tail end of our period, but the subject matter couldn't be more worthy of verse.

DENISE, who cultivates our skill and art,
With thy kind smile tend this fertile heart!
Let us grow tall, the higher we may stand
As proof of grace giv’n of thy royal hand.
Thine eyes may water us, with drops of joy,
From which we do seek to drink and enjoy
The virtues of which we aspire to have:
Queenly kindness doth make a mortal brave.
Thy golden locks, like sunbeams, down do spin
To raise our leaves above the clouds of sin,
To that heaven each man yearneth to find
But, left alone, remains of it e'er blind.
Maintain these stalks, and the fruits thou shalt gain
As nourishment throughout thy coming reign.
Denise, thou labor’st to expand our art,
Whose wrights love thee with only a full heart.

In service,
Olivier de Bayonne

Additional online notes: The current featured poet of the month for June is Mar Yaakov HaMizrachi, whose account of the muster of the Queen's Spears at Pennsic XXXIII is a must-read!

Information about this year's Known World Poetic Challenge at Pennsic will be available very shortly. Stay tuned for an update!

I am also still happily accepting submissions for pieces to include on the 'Atlantian Bardic Poetry' aspect of the site - any piece of poetry, song, or story by an Atlantian author is welcome. The works are divided up by author through geographical region.

Last modified June 2, 2005. Content suggestions to Lord Olivier de Bayonne