Mistress Ceridwen ferch Owain

The Call to Glory

Roland's oliphant sang a bold call to his king
Even in death, left alone, was his honor replete
Fair Aude did swoon at the tale they did bring
As the king told of his passing, she died at his feet
Tell me again a tale of Chivalry sweet
Of Love's price to her players and Honor shown true
To bear upon words, tales to sing and repeat
Roland, brave Roland, lead us to Glory anew

Then Tristan, good Tristan,  sent by his uncle to bring
Yseut to his lands, her lord husband, to meet
Though their love blossomed and sang, he gave her to his King
One dark day this brave nephew in a tourney did meet
A poisoned lance in his heart and Death's host he'd soon greet
Yseut came at his bidding, white sail shining through
At his death she died too, a love bittersweet
Roland, brave Roland, lead us to Glory anew

Of Camelot's grandeur do the troubadours sing
As in love Guenevere took beside Arthur her seat
From France came a Love to sway her from her King
Lovers standing apart, never daring to meet
A Table divided and a Dream's stilled heartbeat
Lancelot's valor shone as her heart split in two
'Gainst the glory of Camelot ,two loves  incomplete
Roland, brave Roland, lead us to Glory anew

Love's toils may be seen in many a chivalrous feat
As hearts yearn to touch and lips to speak true
Of the vanquished and guilty, of love's unrequited sweet heat
Roland, brave Roland, lead us to Glory anew


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Call to Glory - Documentation


"Call to Glory" is a poem in the form of the ballade.  The ballade is of French origin, with its most popular time period being the 14th century. There are 3 main types of ballades: the 7 line, 8 line, and 10 line stanzas, all with an envoi at the end.  This is a 28-line poem in 3 octaves<8 lines>, with the 4-line envoi.  The envoi is a quatrain<4 lines>, and it usually an address to the poem's patron or someone concerned in the subject of the poem.  There is a refrain at the end of every octave, which is seen in the envoi as well.  In French this form is usually written in syllabics, and many times becomes iambic.  The rule is that the lines are of any, but mostly equal, length.  The rhyme scheme of an 8 line ballade is a-b-a-b-b-c-b-C<times 3, with C being the refrain line that is repeated>, b-c-b-C.  This poetic form was made popular by Francois Villon<1431-died after 1463>.

This poem was inspired by Villon's "Ballade des dames du Temps Jadis", where Villon lauds past glories by naming the women in history who either performed or inspired greatness.  In "Call to Glory" the subject is 3 separate love stories that were tragic, though there are many stories told of the valor and chivalry within them.  The first stanza alludes to the Song of Roland.  People who hear this story many times do not hear what happened when Charlemagne returned home after the glorious and brave death of his favored Roland.  Upon hearing of his death, Aude, Roland's fiance and best friend's sister, fell dead at the feet of her King. 

The second stanza speaks of the story of Tristan and Yseut.  Tristan , who after taking Yseut whom he loved to marry his uncle, left and went about his business so as not to shame both the uncle he loved and the woman he adored.  Tristan even  married, but kept no secret of his love for Yseut. When a lance at a tournament poisoned Tristan, he sent for Yseut, not knowing whether she should come or not.  The key was whether her boat would fly a white sail<meaning she was on her way> or a black sail<which meant she was not coming>.  Because Tristan was so weak, his wife was watching the window for him.  King Marc had sent Yseut, for he also knew of her love for Tristan, and he loved his nephew.  But though her ship bore the white sail, Tristan's jealous wife told him the sail was black, so he allowed himself to die, thinking Yseut would not come to him.  Upon seeing him dead, Yseut expired as well, and they were buried side by side.   A vine grew from their tombs to entwine together for all eternity, no matter how many times it was cut.  Finally King Marc came and commanded that it be left alone to bring the two lovers together at least in death.

The third stanza is of course the well-known tale of the love of Guenevere and Lancelot that tore apart the dream of Arthur's Camelot. Guenevere, in some renditions, loved both Arthur and Lancelot, and in trying to love both ended up marring the purity and utopia of Camelot.

This poem was meant to do a couple of things.  It as meant as a show of  the tragic love story.  The troubadours sang of love and most times it was of love unrequited, of love lost, or some other unhappy state associated with the whole idea of love. It was also meant, as Villon's poem did, to remind people of all that has come before, and all that can come in the future and how we must look to the past to shape the future's glory.

Ceridwen ferch Owain
30 May AS XXXV

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Mistress Ceridwen ferch Owain (AoA, CB, CGD, CP, CSS, GoA, KAE, OKH, OP, OPE, OWS, former Poeta Atlantiae)  is a 12th century Welshwoman who doesn't really dress in the same time period as she "lives".  She has had the good fortune to enjoy rapier, archery, heavy combat,and late period garb, and spent 4 fabulous years as Baroness of Windmasters' Hill.  She now resides in a peaceful place called Gryphon Hall, with many visitors and a small flock of faithful protogees to keep her entertained as she tries to keep them out of trouble.

Linda Goldman is a high school French teacher who is just crazy enough to both love her job and bring her students to events.  She lives in Sanford, NC with a fabulous roommate and an equally fabulous but completely neurotic dog.

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Last modified November 30, 2002. Content suggestions to Lord Olivier de Bayonne