A Fool Not Seeking EmployI am a fool, a gleeman.
I am a fun, a jester.
I’ll twit a lord about his leman,
Or a maid about her chest, sir.
But a Royal Fool must entertain
Both his liege and all the court.
I could not be a Royal Fool
I’m just not of that sort.I have a cap with bells on.
And a bladder on a stick.
I can startle you with yellin’.
I’ve a joke to make you sick.
But a Royal Fool must satisfy
His King, and Lords and Dukes.
I could not be a Royal Fool,
The thought just makes me sick.Oh, I know how to flatter,
How to flay a man with scorn.
Use a radish, make you fatter,
A beet will make you play the horn.
But a Royal Fool must play all those
Who see power as a prize.
I could not be a Royal Fool,
For I am not so wise.The Court Jester
Of old, and aye of late, A King maintains
Within his court a Fool, a gleeman gay,
Who like with dance or jest lights up the day,
Or else with mordant wit of fault complains.
To be a Fool, a Fool must foolish seem,
Must prance an roll, only his bells to ring,
A radish chase, or ride upon his thing,
His bauble. Yet his smile holds subtle gleam.
The Fool will bide a long time with his Lord,
Be seen by all, regarded yet by none,
Hear all that’s said, by night or in the sun,
And then let fall a perfect jest or word.
That King seems wise whose Fool confounds his foes.
The Fool is wise who tells not all he knows.
© 2003 Frederick J. Hollander.
These were performed at Beltane, A.S. XXXVIII (2003), for the Bard of the West
competition, they were written on site for the "Court Jester" theme.
The West Kingdom History Website was created by and is maintained by Hirsch von Henford (mka Ken Mayer).