Kolfinna’s Song

Count Sven Orfhendur
Victorious in Fall Crown Tourney A.S. XLIII

Kolfinna’s Song

Warm was summer | morn when rising,
Gathered she his | silver armor:
Bright Kolfinna | Battle-maiden,
Countess, Marshal | clever scriber.

Bread and cheese she | brought Orfhandr,
Who had worn the | crown beforehand,
Soft-voiced sloth and | gentle Viking;
Fresh from Hearthland’s | yard he ventured.

Clad in blue like | Caid’s ocean,
Clad in white like | clouds of summer:
Bright Kolfinna | Battle-maiden,
Smiles like sunshine, nimble fighter.

Sven arrayed in | silver armor,
Two swords took ‘gainst | Herzog Dietrich;
Great sword raised in | second battle,
Two blows bringing | poet’s death-knell.

Crowned with roses | Caid’s princess,
Crowned with silver | crescents shining,
Bright Kolfinna | Battle-maiden:
Hail, lady knight! | Hail, Viking Queen!

Poetic inspiration came from the Þrymskviða, one of the poems in the Poetic Edda. In an attempt to emulate the cadence of the Old Norse, each stanza has four verses, with two alliterations per line, none of which may fall on the final accented syllable.

Hearthland refers to the translation of Hedeby, the town from which Their Majesties hail. (heiðr = heathland and býr = yard)

— Natalya de Foix

...and her twin brother Gideon ben Levi, were born around 1473 in Spain to a Spanish-Jewish lady (and an English or Norman father, depending on which version of the story you hear.) She was taken as a child to France where she eventually inherited a vast estate. Natalya received her Laurel for Dramatic Performance and Needlework, but mostly enjoys cooking and writing as much poetry as she can.

Copyright

Copyright of the poems belongs to the original author. The Crown Poem Staff has consented to have the poems reprinted on the CaidWiki, but you need to obtain permission from them before reprinting in any other medium. See Crown Poems for contact information.