Poems -

![[compendium banner.png|]] # Poems of Calradia The saga of Bjernstad song of Antaran Nobles are an odd lot. In Calradia, a daughter is a political asset, to be given away to a lord with whom her father wishes to make an alliance. Yet the great families of this land idealize pure love between man and woman, and ==I have seen many a hardened warrior weep copious tears at the doomed ardour of Sahira and Janun in the songs== -- even as he made plans to break his own daughter's heart. The **tale of Sarpea of Onira is one of the epic poems of the eastern frontier**. Like many, it seems **written to justify the Empire's conquest**. Sarpea, a senator's daughter, was seized by a **Palaic** chieftain and carried to his citadel here. When the imperial armies appeared before its walls years later to rescue her, she begged them to retreat for the sake of her infant son, whom her fearsome husband had threatened to hurl from the walls instead of allowing him to be captured and raised by his mother's people. The legions withdrew, so the story says, but the boy grew into a warrior who joined the Empire and slew his father. It is now the center of a horse-breeding industry on the eastern plains. [ — Bannerlord.XML] I can teach you the **tale** of **Kais and Layala**. It is a sad and simple story -- **the shepherd boy** **Kais** and the **nobleman's daughter** **Layala** love each other, but they can never marry. The poem is **Kais**' lament as he wanders alone, unwilling to forget his true love, driving himself mad with longing. Some ladies melt at the sweetness of his sorrows; others glaze over at his self-pity. [ — Warband.XML] Ah -- '**Kais and Layali**' -- such a sad **tale**. Many a time has it been recounted for my family by the wandering poets who come to our home, and it has never failed to bring tears to our eyes. [ — Warband.XML] '**Kais and Layali**'? Three hundred stanzas of pathetic sniveling, if you ask me. If Kais wanted to escape heartbreak, he should have learned to live within his station, and not yearn for what he cannot have. [ — Warband.XML] '**Kais and Layali**'? No one should ever have written such a sad poem! If it was the destiny of Kais and Layali to be together, than their love should have conquered all obstacles! [ — Warband.XML] Ah, '**Kais and Layali**.' A very old stand-by, but moving, in its way. [ — Warband.XML] I can teach you part of the **saga** of **Helgerad and Kara**. It is a heroic tale, full of blood and battle. The **shieldmaiden Kara** chooses the warrior **Helgered** as her lover, as he is the only man who can defeat her in combat. Her father, who pledged her to another, comes with his sons and his huscarls to kill Helgered. They fight, and Helgered and Kara slaughter the entire host except for Kara's beloved younger brother -- who, alas, grows up to avenge his father by slaying Helgered. The depiction of warrior and shieldmaiden as equals will appeal to some women, but a mail-wearing, blood-spattered heroine will shock and repulse others. [ — Warband.XML] The saga of '**Helgered and Kara**'? Such happy times in which our ancestors lived! Women like Kara could venture out into the world like men, win a name for themselves, and not linger in their husbands' shadow. [ — Warband.XML] Ah, the saga of '**Helgered and Kara**'. Now there was a lady who knew what she wanted, and was not afraid to obtain it. [ — Warband.XML] The saga of '**Helgered and Kara**'? A terrible tale - but it speaks of a very great love, if she were willing to make war on her own family. [ — Warband.XML] The saga of '**Helgered and Kara**'? As I recall, Kara valued her own base passions over duty to her family that she made war on her own father. I have no time for a poem which praises such a woman! [ — Warband.XML] The saga of '**Helgered and Kara**'? How could a woman don armor and carry a sword! How could a man love so ungentle a creature! [ — Warband.XML] I can teach you the poem, '**The Storming of the Castle of Love**.' It is short enough to be easily learned. It is an **allegoric poem**, replete with symbols and metaphor. It describes how a brave but rough warrior wins the heart of his lady by learning the virtues of chivalry, becoming a true and noble knight. Its theme -- that the role of a woman is to inspire but also civilize a man -- is appreciated by some noble ladies, but not all. [ — Warband.XML] '**Storming the Fortress of Love**'? Ah, yes. The lady sits within doing nothing, while the man is the one who strives and achieves. I have enough of that in my daily life. Why listen to poems about it? [ — Warband.XML] '**Storming the Fortress of Love**'? Ah, yes. An uplifting tribute to the separate virtues of man and woman. [ — Warband.XML] '**Storming the Fortress of Love**'? Ah, yes. But although it is a fine tale of virtues, it speaks nothing of passion! [ — Warband.XML] '**Storming the Fortress of Love**'? Ah... A sermon dressed up as a love poem, if you ask me. [ — Warband.XML] I can teach you the **poem**, '**The Heart's Desire**.' It is a **lyrical poem**, which can be interpreted either erotically or spiritually. The lover realizes the majesty of the divine by gazing upon the body of his beloved. I believe that it appeals to women of a certain romantic temperament, but you risk scandalizing or boring others. [ — Warband.XML] '**A Heart's Desire**'? Ah, such a beautiful account of the perfect, perfect love! To love like that must be to truly know rapture! [ — Warband.XML] '**A Heart's Desire**'? Silly, if you ask me. If the poet desires a lady, then he should endeavor to win her -- and not dress up his desire with a pretense of piety! [ — Warband.XML] '**A Heart's Desire**'? Hmm -- it is an interesting exploration of earthly and divine love. It does speak of the spiritual quest which brings out the best in man, but I wonder if the poet has not confused his yearning for higher things with his baser passions. [ — Warband.XML] '**A Heart's Desire**'? Oh, yes -- it is very worthy and philosophical. But if I am to listen to a bard strum a lute for three hours, I personally prefer there to be a bit of a story. [ — Warband.XML] I can teach you the poem, '**An Argument in the Garden**.' It is a **comic poem**, which satirizes the conventions of courtly love. A lover steals into a garden in **Veluca**, and plies her with lots of witty lines to persuade his lover to submit to his embraces. She shoots down all of his advances one by one, then when he is downcast, she takes him in her arms and tells him that she wanted him all along, except on her terms, not his. A lady with a sense of humor may find it amusing, but others might feel that they are the ones who are being mocked. [ — Warband.XML] '**A Conversation in the Garden**'? I cannot understand the lady in that poem. If she loves the man, why does she tease him so? [ — Warband.XML] '**A Conversation in the Garden**'? Let us see -- it is morally unedifying, it exalts deception, it ends with a maiden surrendering to her base passions... And yet I cannot help but find it charming, perhaps because it tells us that love need not be tragic to be memorable. [ — Warband.XML] '**A Conversation in the Garden**'? Now that is a tale every lady should know by heart, to learn the subtleties of the politics she must practice! [ — Warband.XML] '**A Conversation in the Garden**'? It is droll, I suppose -- although there is nothing there that truly stirs my soul. [ — Warband.XML] That would be a fine thing, {sir/my lady}! Many is the tale of the hero who has proven his worthiness to wear a crown through valor. Perhaps you know **the song of Antaran son of Ashdab**, who rose from obscurity to become **king of Dabarah**. A splendid **tale**! [ — Warband.XML] Of course, {my lord/my lady}. Also, as we learn from **the tale of Antaran**, when claiming a throne, it does not hurt to be the subject of an epic, recited around campfires and hearthfires, describing one's deeds. As you no doubt know, I fancy myself a fair crafter of couplets. [ — Warband.XML]