[SCA-AE] Praise Poem for Master Cedric the Humble

[Thomas Ireland-Delfs]

Praise poem for Master Cedric the Humble

Glorious Dragon-Slayer, brave Serpent-Sticker,
Hear my words
Malcolm, mighty arm, quick wit, King &
Tessa, yew-harp plucker, laughing, Queen

Hear of a man of three flocks
Cedric---
eagle visioned, shaft hewer
Stork-legged swamp strider
keen eyed archer's friend

Once did Cedric kneel to Ox-Strong King

Cedric ---
Blood eagle tamer, corpse-hawk cager, year teller's friend
quaking-land-holder, ring-giver, bard-feeder

Now is Cedric ---
service giver, skin-clad shaft-hurler, range lord
brought to new flock
big-beaked, fish-bane, blood-giver,
new peer, old friend

::FRIDRIKR::

----------------------

A praise poem (as I write them) is a poem written in praise of an
individual on an auspicious occasion.  The idea is to use kennings,
which may be described as a form of metaphor.  The kenning is an Old
Norse poetic device, usually matching an adjective with a noun to rename
a character or object.  For example, in the third stanza, the three
kennings: "blood eagle", corpse-hawk" and "year-teller" all are used for
ravens in Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda.  For a more complete
description of kennings and the way they work, you may consult The Prose
Edda, trans. Jean I. Young, Berkeley: U Cal Press, isbn #
0-520-01232-1).  The three raven kennings are the only three I
specifically borrowed from Sturuluson; all the others are either
commonly known ("ring-giver") or my inventions.

::FRIDRIKR::