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a collection of literature from poets, bards, songwriters, and skalds in the SCA

Trop tôt i arrive l'hiver

olivier's picture
olivier
Poem (Canso): 

Trop tôt i arrive l’hiver.
Le ciel gris de bleu palist
Et las fleures font a faner.
Laient les feuilles comme vie partist.
La nege blanc sol la terre gist,
Mais c’escut, ce cape,
L’ame du monde n’eschape.
Et m’amor,
La coiffe d’or,
La chaleur brille mai le retor.

Les oisels sont partissant,
Ses nids tot abandonnent.
Las eaux fraises sont glacent,
Les poissons ses dormissent.
Las étoiles plus cleres masquent.
Remaint ils en l’ombre
Quant la terre est sombre.
Et m’amor,
La coiffe d’or,
La chaleur brille mai le retor.

Translation: 

The winter comes very soon.
The gray sky fades from blue
And the flowers begin to wilt.
They shed their petals as life departs.
The white snow alone protects the earth
But this shield, this cloak,
The soul of the earth cannot escape.
And my love,
The golden-haired,
Her warmth shines to reinstate May.

The birds have departed,
They abandon their nests completely.
The fresh waters are frozen over,
The fish are sleeping.
The clearest of stars are hiding.
They remain in the shadows
While the earth remains so dull.
And my love,
The golden-haired,
Her warmth shines to reinstate May.

Documentation / Explanation (Razo): 

This piece is the fourth in a series of poems dedicated to my good friend (and patroness) Maitresse Aenor d'Anjou. When I entered into her service (and the service of her lord and husband, Master Efenwealt Wystle), one of our agreements was that I would compose poems in her honor. What is more medieval, I thought (and still think!) then to write love poems to a married noblewoman? As a result, I have been trying to write at least one poem a month for her. I have also attempted to make these poems work as songs by coupling the lyrics with existing tunes (technically called contrafacta). See my list of poems for the other chansons in this series.

The rhyme structure (roughly ABABBCCDDD) and meter (which goes from 7 syllables in the first 5 lines, to 5 syllables in the next two lines, to 3 syllables in the next two lines, to 8 in the final line) of this poem are based on Etienne de Meaux's “Trop est mes maris jalos.”

To be honest, I'm not sure if music exists for “Trop est mes maris jalos,” but if it does, then you can certainly sing this piece to it. I'm also currently looking for another melody that this piece will work with.