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Richard
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:51 pm |
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Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:57 pm Posts: 90
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The Red Palace
In dreaming once
I wandered woods
Through vast valleys lost.
There by Christ's Rood
Was a palace red.
A palace red,
With walls scarlet
Like the finery
Of some harlot's
Lavish cunning court.
A cunning court,
There stood a throne
Richly wrought in red
As ruby stones,
All unknown to man.
Unknown to man,
Was such blood red
And by my troth thought
I to be dead
With what I espied.
I next espied
White clad a maid,
Auburn haired before
That throne. She said,
That we were alone.
We two alone
Lodged close inside
Those dread coxcomb walls.
I prayed that night
Watched over those gems
Those reddish gems
Owed to no man,
Left untouched. I ask
Now, wringing hands
Jhesu in this life
This waking life No red palace lie, For this wight with wife Who wandered wide He cannot forget.
_________________ "It's too short!
We need more monkeys! "
Last edited by Richard on Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:26 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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des2
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 8:23 pm |
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Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:06 pm Posts: 2679 Location: Clacton-on-Sea
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I enjoyed that poem very much, Richard. Can you tell us more about it.
It's writ archaic, but I wonder if it's a modern wight who writeth it.
_________________ MY WEBSITE: www.nemonymous.com
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Marion Arnott
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:04 pm |
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Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:46 am Posts: 3347
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Richard
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:01 pm |
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Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:57 pm Posts: 90
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Its one of mine *blush*.
_________________ "It's too short!
We need more monkeys! "
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des2
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Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:01 am |
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Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:06 pm Posts: 2679 Location: Clacton-on-Sea
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Genuinely enjoyable poem, Richard. Congratulations.
I know that 'wight' does not exactly mean 'man' but I was wondering why 'wight' was used at one point and 'man' at another?
_________________ MY WEBSITE: www.nemonymous.com
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Richard
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Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:21 pm |
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Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:57 pm Posts: 90
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des2 wrote: Genuinely enjoyable poem, Richard. Congratulations. I know that 'wight' does not exactly mean 'man' but I was wondering why 'wight' was used at one point and 'man' at another?
I think that it had the advantage (to medieval authors at least) of being able to stand for man and Mankind simultaneously.
_________________ "It's too short!
We need more monkeys! "
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Marion Arnott
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Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:58 pm |
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Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:46 am Posts: 3347
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What was the inspiration, Richard? I'm fascinated by the 'red' everywhere.
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Richard
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Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 4:37 pm |
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Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:57 pm Posts: 90
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Most of the inspiration when I wrote it came from medieval lyrics and carols I'm familiar with, such as the Corpus Christi Carol, E.G.
.. In that Orchard there was an halle
That was hanged with purpill and pall
And in that hall there was a bede
It was hanged with gold so rede ...
Christ's blood, typically symbolised by distracting redness, is common to the period.
The theme of sexual temptation in a courtly setting was familiar from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
_________________ "It's too short!
We need more monkeys! "
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Marion Arnott
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Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:43 pm |
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Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:46 am Posts: 3347
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That's interesting. I had associated the red with harlotry only.
You mention 'rubies' - did you know that they preserved virginity according to ancient thought?
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Richard
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Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:33 pm |
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Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:57 pm Posts: 90
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Yes I had an idea of that association - hadn't looked it up though..
_________________ "It's too short!
We need more monkeys! "
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