Chapter 3 - Twas Not Quite Yet The Winter Poem by Brian D Griffin

Twas not quite yet the winter when
They gathered all once more
Now to a far-flung hall they came
And through a distant door

The Hall was warm with firelight
And candles glowing bright
They gathered for a feast of feast
This not quite winter night.

The place was where the King and Queen
Had raised their noble brood
The place was where they often play
A place of cheerful mood

The nobles each arrived that night
With dames upon their arm
The king was hale and well that night
The queen was rife with charm

Unlike the times they met before
When each was well dressed down
Now all bedecked in finery of
Satin Silk and gown

The Gents in finest frock they came
The ladies radiant bright
No more a handsome court had been
On any Schuetzen night

In great hall next to where they met
The servants set the sup
On tables long with linens rare
Sat plate and bowl and cup

The wine flowed out in great amount
The ale and lager too
Some smoked on fine tobaccos rare
Telling stories, not quite true

At last the bell called all to dine
The steamy bowls or flowed
The cups of drink were filled to full
The heaping tables bowed

Each took their predetermined place
With distant nobles paired
They chatted with their distant kin
The mood was soft and fair


Then each in turn would take their plate
And sample the repast
First Dame then Sir; all one by one
Until the very last

When all were seated plates made full
The Bard rose voice in prayer
Then each one raised their glass on high
To James and Sally fair

Then course on course, the nobles dined
And drank to their delight
The minstrel's ballads rose on high
That lovely royal night

They ate and drank and drank some more
Till all were quenched and filled
King James sat proudly at the head
With Sally -both were thrilled.

The supper done, but not the wine
Nor ale nor lager gone
They once again moved round the hall
And soon the songs rolled on

The nobles gathered by the fire for brandy and more smokes
The Buben offered tributes rare and shared off color jokes

A lone fool kept the merriment
As nobles gathered round
Each in turn would join with him
The greater fools, I'm bound

The music in the air rang out
The tunes of bygone days
Each took a turn and sang a song
Recalled through memory's haze

But night was turning into morn
And heads filled up with wine
Soon cooler minds prevailed and then
It was the leaving time

Once more the nobles took their leave
The evening's course complete
Thus ends my tale of this great night
Thy suppliant at thy feet…