In the spirit of which: a Special Yuletide Poem
(Blog by Oller)
For Esmeralda, Fairest of Maidens with the Fairest of Names but Nothing Rhymes with it.
That was the title of Peat the Stable Boy’s poem, which I (Dax) had the dubious honour of reading aloud when we were on the run from Serjeant Bastard’s search party (see Chapter 11, New Rock New Role). Esmeralda thought it was drivel, but Oller, our backstreet thief companion, begged to differ. “That’s proper poetry, that is! It’s got ’twere in it. That’s a proper poem word. Proper poems have ’twere in them all the time. And ’twas.”
Inspired, he wrote a poem of his own, which he recited to us at our most recent Yuletide Eve Feast. He climbed up onto the bench at our long table, and raised his arms for silence. “Friends,” he proclaimed, “I would like to present to you: A Poem! A poem I have written in celebration of this special night.”
Rumbles and laughter greeted his announcement.
“It is entitled,” he said, and paused dramatically, “’Twas.”
Baffled, amused murmurs.
“That shows you it’s a proper poem,” he explained. “ ’Twas being a proper poem word.”
Oller saw that he’d made his point, and that everyone knew that a proper poem was coming. He drew himself up, took a deep breath, and began.
Poem by Oller, (due to Oller being a fictional character and in the absence of a physical body, his poem is read by Richard Sparks)
(And here’s to the New Year and the November 2025 publication of New Rock New Rules)
