Battle of the Bards

Battle of the Bards
By Aneirin Menelaos

• begins, the neck hand hammering out simple chords, his free hand fingerpicking notes on the free strings*
  

Gather close, friends and rivals! Let me sing you the tale of a night when music made war — and war made music. The Battle of the Bards!


In the courts of Kings, and taverns low,
Where stories rise 'nd ale doth flow,
Our strings are tuned, the stage is set,
And pride becomes a bards’ bold bet.

A golden harp, a silver flute,
Or a voice to make the night go mute,
Each steps forth, both fierce and grand,
Fire in heart, lute in hand.

[Chorus]
Clash of chords, a tempest roars,
Magic dancing from our oaken floors,
Verse and spell doth collide—
In a battle where no blade may guide!
Spin the tale, or strum a tune,
Beneath the stars, beneath the moon,
Glory sings in rhymes and shards,
Tonight it is, the Battle of the Bards!


One sang of dragons, fierce and bold,
Whose breath turned knights from brave to cold,,
Another told of lovers lost,
Whose tears had turned the seas to frost.

With wily spell and witty jest,
Each seeks to outshine all the rest,
Their songs are swords, their rhymes, shields,
Their stories shape the battlefield.


Oh the crowd does cheer, the crowd does weep,
For tales were sown both dark and deep,
A sonnet spun, a limerick loosed,
A thunderous wave of lyric use!

[Chorus] Clash of chords, tempest roars,
Magic dancing from oaken floors,
Verse and spell doth collide—
In a battle where no blade may guide!
Spin the tale, or strum a tune,
Beneath the stars, beneath the moon,
Glory sings in rhymes and shards,
Tonight it is, the Battle of the Bards!

• slow quiet finger picking - gentle lyrical voice*
  

And when the last refrain was done...
No soul would say who truly won...
For every tale had left its mark...
A spark in hearts, a flame in dark...

So raise your voice and strike your string...
Let every tavern, hall, or king...
Remember well these fateful cards...
The night the world beheld the Bards...

• Returns to original beat and tempo*
  

Clash of chords, let tales take flight,
Bards will duel ‘til morning light,
Where music meets the arcane arts,
The brave shall battle with all their heart!
Spin a tale, strum the tune,
Beneath the stars, beneath the moon,
For legend lives in roaring yards—
Forevermore… the Battle of the Bards!