[Bards] And so begins a new year

John Hirling jhirling at gmail.com
Sun Jan 14 19:12:29 PST 2007


I've participated is three Eisteddfods and viewed others.  I've never found
them to be anything but "relaxed, joyful, riddled with laughter and
good-natured cajoling, and so well-attended by some of the finest bards in
the kingdom."  When 'some of the finest bards in the kingdom' get together,
how can it be anything else?  At are best, we are not only good performers
but great audiences.
~ihon


On 1/14/07, Gerald Norris <jerryn at houston.rr.com> wrote:
>
> I have another question.
>
> This pertains to Eisteddfod.
>
> What set of events caused this Eisteddfod to be so relaxed, joyful,
> riddled
> with laughter and good-natured cajoling, and so well-attended by some of
> the
> finest bards in the kingdom?
>
> Better yet, how do we continue this?  How do we make it the norm?
>
> We saw at least two bards for whom this was their first Eisteddfod
> competition, who handled themselves well.  How do we encourage more bards
> to
> step up to the bar, practice their work, and try to wield their craft well
> in that one moment when they are amongst other fine wordspinners,
> songweavers, and tellers of great tales?  Was it
> setting?  Weather?  Format?
> Something Melody put in the lemon-water?
>
> For my part I was humbled to be in such company (though obviously not
> quiet!).  When Finnacan finished his second piece, Kat looked at me and
> asked, "Can we concede?"  I answered, "Don't do it.  Make the judges work
> for their money."
>
> Finnacan, I wish you luck in your quest, to keep that spirit in the
> community of bards, and I'll promise my whole-hearted support in that
> effort.
>
> For the rest of you, we've got another year to work on our craft; to bring
> the best of something new and mix it with something old and share our
> talents and our works with our friends and any who will sit through it.
> Some were unable to be there for uncontrollable reasons, and many whom I
> have talked to shake their head, much as Shakespeare wrote in Henry V,
> wishing that they could have been there.  To them I wish luck and
> encouragement to try to once again attend the call and step up to the
> line.
> To those who have aprehension at taking the challenge of competing for
> Kingdom Bard, I can promise you that any mistakes you may make will be
> made
> in the best possible company in which to make them.  Each of us will feel
> the same anxiety that you feel, and will commiserate and try to one-up
> each
> other on the worst possible flubs in performance in SCA history.
>
> So.  Think about it.  Share your views, opinions, and ales.
>
> In service to the dream with a song in my heart, I am,
> HL Gerald of Leesville
> A bard of Stargate
>
> _______________________________________________
> Bards mailing list
> Bards at lists.ansteorra.org
> http://lists.ansteorra.org/listinfo.cgi/bards-ansteorra.org
>



-- 
Rev. John F. Hirling
Interim Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Angleton, TX 77515
(979) 849-5722
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ansteorra.org/pipermail/bards-ansteorra.org/attachments/20070114/50bf67ce/attachment-0001.htm>


More information about the Bards mailing list