Overview
Medium: Poem (Form Unknown, based on extant example)
Written: October 2024
Inspiration: Bogurodzica, an early Polish (10th-13th century) hymn
First Performed: Midrealm Crown Tourney, Fall 2024 (October 19, 2024)
Fighter, champion of queens, the mighty Krzysztof!
Courteous and honored, rat-slaying, the tidy Krzysztof,
Who walks to fight upon the field, where to none but king's sword do they yield!
Krzysztof Invictus!
Those facing on the list, shall find their resolve break,
Before this servant of man, who gives all to his people's sake!
All listen to these words we say,
Rejoice at what you see today:
What we gather now to see;
In this crown: victory!
Krzysztof Invictus!
Notes
This poem was written for the Crown Tourney Praise Poetry Project in the fall of 2024. It was written for Szanowny Sierżancie Krzysztof cul Bun. In speaking with his consort, Master Wilhelm Michalik, I chose again to highlight his tenure as Louis and Sadb’s rapier champion, and to make note of his expectional service and courtesy he shows within the society.
Care was taken to follow the same rhyme scheme and roughly the same meter (there are a few spots the meter had to be extended to make sense) as the poem it was based upon, the early Polish hymn Bogurodzica.
Research & Resources
The piece is based upon Bogurodzica (“Mother of God” in English), a medieval Christian hymn written in Poland sometime between the 10th and 13th century. It is believed to be the oldest religious hymn or patriotic anthem in the Polish Language, and was first recorded in writing near the beginning of the 15th century.
Bogurodzica was originally sung in religious mass and procession, as well as in the coronation ceremonies of early Jagiellonian kings. By the early 15th century, it had transitioned into use as a battle hymn, and was notably sung by Polish knights prior to the Battle of Grunwald.
It was once dubbed “The Hymn of the Fatherland”, but lost its significance to other patriotic anthems over the centuries to newer patriotic anthems, notable “Rota” and “Poland is Not Yet Lost”.
Original Manuscript
Polish Lyrics
Bogurodzica dziewica, Bogiem sławiena Maryja!
U twego syna Gospodzina Matko zwolena, Maryja,
Zyszczy nam, spuści nam!
Kyrie eleison!
Twego dziela Krzciciela, bożycze,
Usłysz głosy, napełń myśli człowiecze!
Słysz modlitwę, jąż nosimy,
A dać raczy, jegoż prosimy:
A na świecie zbożny pobyt,
Po żywocie rajski przebyt!
Kyrie eleison!
English Lyrics
Virgin, Mother of God, God-famed Mary!
Ask Thy Son, our Lord, God-named Mary,
To have mercy upon us and hand it over to us!
Kyrie eleison!
Son of God, for Thy Baptist's sake,
Hear the voices, fulfill the pleas we make!
Listen to the prayer we say,
For what we ask, give us today:
Life on earth free of vice;
After life: paradise!
Kyrie eleison!
Bibliography
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogurodzica
- Comber, John; Morawski, Jerzy (2001). The History of Music in Poland (in Polish). Warsaw: Sutkowski. p. 664. ISBN 9788391703526.
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