ANST - The Bard's Road

[Donald Riney]

Greetings, 
 as a Bard in the Kingdom I to have noticed this trend. Once when I was 
teaching a flegling performer about the ways of the bard, I remember 
saying to them, "Competition is no more the true nature of bardic arts 
than simply hiting people with sticks is the nature of a chivalric 
list." It is a part of what Bards do but not the whole picture. I can 
remember Many times singing and telling Stories in a circle where I knew 
but a few people. I was blessed by these perfomances by meeting new 
freinds hearing new peices and noticing those of the bardic craft that 
untill then I didn't know they existed. 

Though I have been focused recently on other areas of My Arts, I still 
look forward to those events when I can step into a circle and spin a 
tale to freinds I haven't even met yet. I have also heard many times 
from those who play, 'Ya know at my first event I thought the fighting 
was great the atmosphere of chivalry and honor, and the merchants, the 
food at feast the Royals in court. But ya know the Bard who came and 
sang at my fire was just really something special!' The topics As Robert 
fitz Morgan has mentioned were also alot of fun. 

in the past few years I have heard but a handfull of new peices 
Extolling the virtues of our kingdom. I have seen new performers stand 
near a fire with a look of "would I be welcome?" So I guess what I am 
saying is yah the bardic arts are geting a bit regulated to competition. 
it would be nice to see bardic activities other than competition. 
perhaps a list where the fighters are told the bards are watching, and 
will sing of great deeds upn this feild tonight. perhaps an improve 
circle, on the spot bardic can be nerve racking but also a lot of fun!

just my two pence on the topic
Ld Darius of the Bells, Bard at Large (ocaisionaly medium or Small)


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
============================================================================
Go to http://lists.ansteorra.org/lists.html to perform mailing list tasks.