Meat sizzling on a spit, vegetables in pots, a nest of jesters poking fun a bit, the artisan, vendors in tents, acrobats on horseback, common people, nobles in fine dress, costumes, knights…

(((a Fanfare of TrumpETS))))

the king, the queen…i wonder what she is wearing….

Welcome to the tourney, my guests…

The Middle Ages and Renaissance were times when the tourney flourished…and while it featured fighting and melee, it was made into so much more. There was an art to the torneiement — Edward III of England often held tournaments where everyone dressed, perhaps as the Knights of the Round Table or in other common costumery. It was were the concept of courtly love and chivalry was born. Storytelling and mythology was often at the heart of the tourney.

The tournament was often a show of wealth, a political statement or to celebrate a change or special event. Ours will be to celebrate the passing of the pub to the new guard.

And today we will write of the medieval tourney. There are so many ways that you can go with this —

• Write a poem of costumes or masks
• Write a political poem
• Write of fighting
• Write of tests of strength
• Write of wealth, or contrast it with “real” wealth
• Write of the history of the tourney
• Put us at the tourney and tell us what you see
• Have a friendly joust
• Write of chivalry
• Write of courtly love
• Write of knights, nobility, or for the common folk

Write in form, write in free verse, pick up you lyre and sing it to us — now get writing, I need to figure out these straps so i don’t get knocked off my horse.

Here’s how this works:

• Write a poem and post it to your webpage or blog
• Click on the Mr. Linky button below and enter your name & URL or direct link
• There you will find others that have stepped up to the challenge, read them, let them know what you think. It’s an act of community.
• Stop back often as others will be joining in the fun.

See you out on the trail. ~ Brian