Medieval court’s poetic jester
leaps cross marble floor,
bells on cap and toes.
Sings boldly eyeing men,
their indiscretions
bared aloud.
Sag-faced courtiers
murmur hoarsely, choking coarsely,
cannot silence tales.
Red-faced king sits in midst
as women waggle fingers,
his scepter turned to stone.
Quadrille (44 words, sans title) written for dVerse, the virtual pub for poets, where today De asks us to include the word “murmur”. Pub opens at 3 PM Boston time — come on over and quaff some poems!
lillian the home poet 
Brave jester. I hope he wasnt behead after revealing all those indiscretions of the men at court. I like the line about women “waggling their finger” and his sceotor, his power, stone and no longer perfect or without fault.
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Glad you enjoyed! Me thinks this jester has much life left in him 😊
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lol
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I think often the jester was saved, but it was dangerous to laugh at his jokes… I could feel the tension in that court.
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…ah yes, those mummuring men: courtiers afraid to have their secrets told!
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“his scepter turned to stone.” – love this line, especially.
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Thanks, my friend. Nice to be back!
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I wasn’t expecting a murmuring jester, It kind of reminds me of Danny Kaye and the pellet with the poison’s in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true, from the film ‘The Court Jester’.
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Ah, glad you enjoyed….but if you look a bit close, it’s the courtiers, the men of the court murmuring as their secrets are being laid bare by the jester! 😊
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That’s a very cool, fun poem and great narrative
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Thanks! So glad you enjoyed. 🙂
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What a creative approach to the word of the week! I bow to your wit and talent.
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Well….the motivation for it was a bit dark….as in all of the “secrets” coming out these days and women finding their voices….leap it from medieval to today..
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“his scepter turned to stone.” I like this, also. Let’s hope for the jester’s sake his heart didn’t
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Ah….I think the jester has his bells on right! 🙂
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I imagine it’s a funny (strange) job, being a jester, speaking truth to power. We need more of them.
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Hah! Yes, Sarah…….catapult this to today’s political scene….satirical intent here but a simple story on its own. 🙂
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scepters turning to stone – glad I’m not a jester. You told this well.
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Glad you enjoyed!
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the jester makes me think of Mardi Gras – great picture of ‘courtly’ life
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Ah yes…..Shrove Tuesday is tomorrow, I believe! 🙂
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This was a giggle😂. That jester had better have an escape plan!
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Oh he does….it’s the courtisans who are being “outed” with all their indiscretions that need the escape plan!
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Trouble looms!
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Seems a volatile position to be in. Delightful poem!
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Ah yes…….the jester was perhaps our first whistle blower! 🙂
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This is a stunning narrative, Lillian!💖 Love; “his scepter turned to stone.”
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Thank you! So glad you enjoyed.
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Very Fascinating scenes.. 😎🥀😎🥀😎🥀
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Glad you enjoyed!
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I like the waggle of the finger and the scepter that turned to stone…
Dwight
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I liked the waggle too!
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Ah, the Jester. The only member of the court free to voice exactly what’s on his/her mind. Love the tradition of the wise fool you evoke here!
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Oh yes….and the equivalent today would be…..
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Us, the poets! We say what we please, and we astonish them with our foolishness! What can they do, fire us? 😆
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This was so much fun to read!
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I do love fun!😊😉
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That was a very inventive poem, I smiled all the way through.
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Always happy to hand out smiles!
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Ha ha, I love this. The jester turned the Kings scepter to stone and started the courtiers talking. Bet they were speculating on the end of his career.
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Those were the days….wait! Are we in them??
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No, our king doesn’t need a jester to make fun of him, 😂
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Nothing like a poetic jester to embarrass the court.
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Yup!
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“his scepter turned to stone” wooohoo. what a line. what a poem!
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Glad you enjoyed!😊
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yes, I did! Thank you, Lillian!
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I like the connection between the old court jesters and the modern ones- I’m thinking particularly of Seth Meyers whose commentary I catch up with on YouTube. I love how comfortable he is taking a feminist stance on every issue. Glad we still have our jesters. Nicely written!
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Ah yes. Jesters are important I think!
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very entertaining interpretation Lilian – the double entendre at the end is just how a jester would entertain –
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Hah! You’re one of the few who caught that at the ending 🙂
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Nice and tense. Great fun to read.
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Always happy to hand out fun! 🙂
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Sums up the power of the jester delightfully…and the fine line walked.
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Ah, yes indeed. Glad you enjoyed, Paul.
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If only the White House had a court jester…(and not siting in the oval office) (K)
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Smiling I am! 🙂 Tipping my coffee to your comment this morning!
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