Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Post-Chivalric Valentine

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http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Codex_Manesse_%28Herzog%29_von_Anhalt.jpg

Codex Manesse, fol. 17r, "Herzog von Anhalt": Middle High German, 1305-1340, Zurich; image by AndreasPraefcke, 20 June 2005





The labours of the extremely foolish tournament
no sooner done -- when cometh
forth ready pen and tablet

No -- nothing private please, requests
the Lady of the Castle -- have something
about the Roman de la Rose, if you want to, or Sir

Gawain and the Green Knight -- just nothing
about the Commonwealth!
please!!





http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Codex_Manesse_081_Walther_von_Klingen_%28detail%29.jpg

Codex Manesse, v. 52r, "Herr Walther von Klinger" (detail): Middle High German, 1305-1340, Zurich; image by BeatriceBelibaste, 2 February 2007

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Codex_Manesse_Johann_von_Brabant.jpg

Codex Manesse, fol. 18r, "Johann von Brabant": Middle High German, 1305-1340, Zurich; image by AndreasPraefcke, 20 June 2005

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for setting the right mood. These words, but especially these words with these pictures, do the trick. I was thinking the other day about these extremely foolish tournaments and then lay in bed for a long time thinking about chain mail. A friend of mine (for the moment) who is a very fierce person is currently exulting as we move closer to allowing women to fight in combat. She's all wound up, there is no off-switch, you can't reason with her. She mentioned she was going to be wearing red today. I'm wishing her well, from a safe distance. Curtis

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  2. Curtis,

    Perhaps you might try sending her a chain letter, inviting her to a Tilt?

    ReplyDelete
  3. No, I don't think so. First, she'd break the chain (no respect for the rules) and I think I'd find myself run through with a lance. She has no defense, just a very good offense. It's often said that no one knows what goes on inside another person's marriage. This person proves it in spades. Curtis

    ReplyDelete