Camelot
Camelot
Castle
and Chief Stronghold
of
the Warrior Arthur
Five
Ramparts surround the Mound
of
Camelot.
At
all four quarters
Tall
towers climb skywards.
Upon
the mighty gatehouse
the
great Red Dragon banner
snaps
and crackles in the wind.
Here
is the Court of the King,
Here
the Wizards Tower,
Here
the Chapel of the Hallows,
Here
the Navel of the Island of Britain.
Within
the Great Hall of Arthur
stands
the symbol of his domination
the
famous Round Table.
And
there facing the Dragon Thrones
The
Dreadful Seat of Peril.
Brave
the man who meets that test
to
Take the Seat
Draw
the Sword
and
Blow the Horn
to
Challenge the Bear in his own Dun
Melwas
sat there
Accolon
took that seat
Drudwas
sat there
and,
sad day, Amir sat therein.
And
all roads thereafter led
to
the Mound of Honour
for
Trial by Combat.
To
the Death
No
Mercy
only
One will come Alive
from
the Mound of Dread
the
Rightwise Ruler of the Island Realm
Island
of Honey
Island
of the Mighty
The
Sacred King who is Vowed to the Land
For
the King is the Land
as
the Land is the King
As
the health and vitality
of
the King
so
it is reflected in the Land
If
the King should fail
In
health or duty
He
must face the challenge
to
meet in mortal combat
the
Champion of the Mound
to
drive the Sword of State
into
the Stone, into the Anvil.
And
let he who survives draw it forth.
For
is it not written:
Whosoever
draweth this Sword
From
this Stone
Is
rightwise the true born King
of
all Albion.
And
in the Dark of Midwinter
Was
it not the boy Arthur
Who
Succeeded where so many Failed
And
drew the Flaming Sword
From
its rocky sheath.
Sword
from Stone
To
hold aloft at Dawn
Upon
the Mound of Kings.
a
Sword to Shield the Weak and Helpless
From
the Onslaught of the Barbarians
a
Lightning Sword to fall upon their Heads
and
Scatter their Bones into Dust.
and
Here he takes his Stand,
and
makes a Court which shines so Brightly
in
this Darkest of Dark Ages
that
all the Heroes of the Realm
are
Drawn to it
like
a Bright Beacon shining
over
a Darkened Land
Kay
the Fair, the Long Man,
Heavy
in Vengeance.
Bedivere
of the Perfect Sinews,
Swift
in Slaughter.
Gawain,
Sisters Son to Arthur,
Hawk
of the Plain,
With
his fairy steed
Kinkaled.
These
were the First three Heroes
of
the Court of Arthur.
And
this was the Ancient Oath that they swore:
We
are your men,
We
will keep faith with you
Until
the Sky fall and Crush us,
Until
the Earth open and Swallow us,
Until
the Sea rise up and Overwhelm us.
We
are your Men,
As
far as the Wind Dries,
As
far as the Rain Wets,
As
far as the Sun Rises,
As
far as the Sea Stretches,
As far as the Earth Extends.
* * *