Sample - The Flower of Knighthood by Susan Brooks (Read in "Fullscreen")

8/14/2019 Sample - The Flower of Knighthood by Susan Brooks (Read in "Fullscreen")

1/11


2/11

From The Flower of Knighthood (or, S ir Gawains S hield) by Susan Brooks.

Copyright 2006 by Susan Brooks. All rights reserved. (United States Library of Congress Registration Number: TXu-1-316-400 )

FOR MORE INFORMATION

X

To Order Books: www.fleurdamour.us/books.htmlWriters Weblog: www.parsifalshorse.blogspot.com


3/11



DOMINE DIRIGE NOS


4/11



THE FLOWER OF KNIGHTHOOD

(or, Sir Gawains Shield)

X

by Susan Brooks

Upon a time of Christmastide,All Camelot gathered besideThe fire in the feasting hall.Laughter rang up to the tallAnd timbered ceiling of the room.The suns return allowed no gloom.Midwinters merried tales and singing

Mirrored hope the light was bringing.In the home of heroes all,King Arthur gave a Christmas ball.The dancing carried on for daysBefore a scene of games and play.Gifts were exchanged, glances, too,As men who fancied ladies threwTheir energy to woo the fairWith hilarity and flair.Wreaths of braided evergreen

Decorated. Hung betweenThe rafters was a swing of stars,Strung by a wish of Guinevere.She had planned the pretty trimmingsAnd the bounty of the brimmingBrace of tables trestled fullOf game and honey-sweetened apples.Oaten loaves of autumns grainGroaned the larder with their strain.Neer was such a feast beheld

As the king gave to that guild.In fairness, twas their share of wealth,For neer had Britain seen such healthOf finance and prosperity.Her ships plied across the seaBringing matter fit to boastBack to the isles every coast.To the north, the deep cold water


5/11



Gave a catch of fish to barter,Salted, taken to the east,There to trade for burdens beast.The land worked so yielded fruitTo be traded to the south,

But by far the brightest and bestPromise lay far to the west:Past the green land, past the sea,Lay a vast and newfound country,Espied by a noble WelshmanAfter granted with a visionOf a vineyard flowing overWith a growth so ripe and pureIt gave a purple majestyTo the very air. Verily,

Twas a paradise. UnsettledDid it seem. A test of mettleWould it be to send a fleetOn a mission to completeA survey and a mapping. SignsOf exploration seemed benign,Yet twas unknown who or whatCould dwell there, so the kingdom soughtTo discover all the secretsThat had not been yielded yet

By that land and any moreTo be found past farther shores.With such a sense of limitlessPotential, the court greeted Christmas.Their gifts were the loves reflectionOf the greater benedictionAnd the blessings of their Lord.His life filled the feasting boardWith the wine and with the bread.Oer His body prayers were saidOf thanks for His nativity,Brought to bear by Mother MaryTo stand all the sins of man,Borne so by the love of woman.Arthur watched his Guinevere.Never had she seemed so dearOr deft. She glimmered as a pearlIn the gaiety, a girl


6/11



Of great and charming gratefulnessTo her god. She seemed a goddessThere below the holly boughsSet to either side in rows,Arching in a forested

Arcade, an indoor faery glade.Merlin had enchanted themTo rustle with a windy whimAs though twere standing out of doors.Upon their leaves the starlight pouredFrom the ceiling. Magic shimmerWorked with a bewitching whisperTo conjure there a wonderlandWith a trace of winters handIn the snow that melted not,

No matter the hall grew quite hot.Guinevere wore a white kirtleWith green sleeves and with a girdle,Too, of the rich Christmas hue.She resembled mistletoe,Fit to kiss. The whited berriesGlowed gem-like as her mouths merrySmile shone forth. So beauteous seen,Truly she was Englands queen,Bedecked as the countryside,

Colored so as land and bride.She split thus the winters coldWith the coming springtimes hold,Green potential unseen sowedDeep underneath the seasons snow.A doorway between old and newWas she, and as the seedling growsIn the darkness, reaching up,Did she stretch for her Lords cup,Overspilling so His meadSo to meet her peoples needTo celebrate. A joyous carolRose up as a righteous heraldTo the rafters, raising voicesHigh into a joyful noise.As the song approached crescendo,Suddenly the door did blowWide open, hanging on its hinge.


7/11



In a man rode with a tingeOf green reflected from the branchesAnd the cloth of his steeds haunchesAll about his face and form.The nearest men sounded alarum

At the natural apparition.He rode straight to Arthurs station.Strange as twas to bring a horseSo into a castles course,Still stranger was the man himself:He appeared a woodland elfWith the color of the leavesUpon him from his shoes to sleeves.So, too, did his charger wearTrappings of the emerald color,

Hanging long to brush the groundAnd swirl their rustling silk aroundWhen his hooves kicked up the snow.Quite impressive was the showPresented by the green-clad pair.The knight dismounted at the stairLeading up to the two thrones.He approached and stood aloneAnd looked King Arthur in the eyeAnd said, Fain, a challenge would I

Set to store by your best knightOn your holy Christian night.Arthur rose then and replied,Sir, I would you state your need.You are welcome here to join usIn our feast, yet so enjoin usTo a contest. Would it wereA playful sport, though I abjureTo make a judgment til I hearWhat you would put before our prayer.The knight hefted up an axeWith the blade turned front to back,Not to strike, but show the king.Sir, this instrument I bring.I ask your most worthy manTo conform so to my plan:Strike at me and try to severMy head from its seated shoulders.


8/11



My blood shed can purifyAnd my example edifyAs to the intended purposeOf this day which you professTo find sacred. The old gods

Think your way of worship odd.I would bridge the old and new,Connecting with my crimson flow.The hall fell a silent place.Bewilderment colored each face,But as none the challenge claimed,To it stepped forth Sir Gawain.Lord, my liege, if you allow,This knights wish I would endow.It seems of import to him. Pray,

Dear king, I would hear what you say.Gawain, advance then to our guestAnd so perform at his behest.Green Knight, have you a final wantBefore Gawain gives you this grant?No, Sir, I am satisfied.With that, he held up the bladeAnd handed it to Sir Gawain,Then knelt in the apt position.Gawain swung the axe above

And brought it hard. The sharp blade hoveTo the right spot, spouting red.The Green Knight then took his headAnd tucked it under his right arm.It seemed not to have done a harmOf lasting sort, the noble knightsSure blow, but instead set to rightsSomething in his natures balance.Come to my keep one year hence.Anon a week, on the new year,Ill strike a symmetry familiar:In my Green Chapel shall we meet.There my blade will give its greetTo your flesh, your spirits homeAs it rounds its earthly roam.With those words, the knight remounted.Headless, he seemed not affronted,Rather happy. The doors swung


9/11



Behind him, closing with a clang.The guests gazed round at each other,Then drew closer so to gatherTo Gawain, the courtliestOf their order. Yea, twas best

That he had served the strange desireOf their uncanny visitor.His manners were above reproach,Courtesy his way. As such,Twas eer a ready diplomatFor the good of Camelot,Yet the danger to his personWould, as the year passed, mere worsen.What was meant by the wyrd manWhen hed outlined his equation? -

Blow for blow set half to rights,The next to fall upon the knightSo endeared in their esteem.Twas a most perplexing game,Clear in rules and round of order,Yet not in its make of martyrCould a meaning be divinedStraightaway. Fitted to findIts purpose was the knight Gawain:Would he stand or yet be slain?

X


10/11



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

X

Susan Brooks felt a calling from childhood to become a writer and to explore

topics in folklore and mythology. She developed her vocation while studying arthistory at the University of Texas at Austin, an experience which gave her theskills for research and scholarly composition that would form the basis for thecreation of her own original material inspired by the Arthurian tradition. Aftergraduation, she applied herself to her creative interests, writing music andpoetry and working as a journalist in the arts in both Austin and in New YorkCity, where she composed The Flower of Knighthood and other works on her dailycommute across New York Harbor. Her other interests include medieval studies,history of the ancient world, theology, and Jungian psychology. Susan currentlylives in Los Angeles where she resides in an artists community and continues to

pursue her creative work. The Flower of Knighthood is her first book, and the firstvolume in a series based on Arthurian literature. Forthcoming titles include TheEngagement of Sir Gawain, Parsifal (or, The Holy Boy), and The Romance of Arthur.


11/11



THE FLOWER OF KNIGHTHOOD

(or, Sir Gawains Shield)

Based on the epic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Flower of Knighthoodre-tells the story of the young hero Gawain as a parable of self-development. Inhis quest and contest with the mysterious and supernatural Green Knight,Gawain attains his manhood through the timeless courtly values of courtesy,

sacrifice and faith. His service to King Arthur and his chivalric love for the LadyFflur are the vehicles for his transformation, a catalyst which unites inner andouter worlds through the achievement of his own psychological wholeness.

X

Susan Brooks has felt a keen interest in the Arthurian tradition since childhood.She began her scholarly research into the topic while earning a degree in arthistory from the University of Texas at Austin, and has continued independentstudies ever since. As a person of British extraction and an artist with a lifelong

bardic calling to music and verse, the Matter of Britain seems my birthright. Thematerial evolved over centuries of social history in Great Britain, and wasdisseminated throughout Europe during the Middle Ages, eventually reaching aglobal audience in the modern era. The legends are timeless and universal dueto their powerful archetypal content, appealing to anyone who possesses a senseof romance and adventure. I felt drawn to compose poetry on the subject as partof my own creative quest, and I found Gawains story provided a perfect symbolfor spiritual progress. I have grown to love this great knight as a sublime markerof masculine devotion and divinity, and will revisit him in future volumes.

XForthcoming Titles In This Series:

The Engagement of Sir GawainParsifal (or, The Holy Boy)

The Romance of Arthur

Sample - The Flower of Knighthood by Susan Brooks (Read in "Fullscreen")

Documents

Transcript of Sample - The Flower of Knighthood by Susan Brooks (Read in "Fullscreen")