The real power in the land.
by cricketjeff on March 1, 2008. © Jeff Green, All rights reserved
The jester kept the King within his place
By showing off the faults of all his court
With witty rhyme and gestures of the face
He lanced the boil of disputes that were fought
And showed the court the lessons that were taught
By keeping all as wit with banners furled
The Jesters of the court still rule the world
The modern jesters think that satire’s new
That they invented rule by ridicule
But both of these were used by quite a few
Long before the moderns went to school
Remember then to keep the golden rule
Though politicians think they rule the land
It’s the jester’s job to see we understand
When Charlemaine was rowed along the Seine
By Kings and Dukes of lands within his sway
The Jesters didn’t have to take the strain
They kept the gathered armies in their play
United Nations need to listen once again
A ruler who is laughing will not kill
The Jesters are the ones in power still
Author notes
I wanted a verse form that was old enough to have been commonly used by the
Jesters of the middle ages.
Rime Royale fits the bill, I suppose you could call it Ottava Rima’s
grandfather, it is a septet form, usually used in chains and with the septets
divided into 4s and 3s. Most were in iambic pentameter but any regular meter
was used, the rhyme is ababbcc.
English