Dennis Spilchuk | + Follow Poet |
Sonnet | + Fav Poem | Comment | Email | Print |

Henry Viii's Last Joust

Henry VIII's Last Joust

When darkness descends and all is bleak,
When the strong run and leave behind the weak.
Where, throughout the land, people cry for relief.
Who shall arise? What devil will compete?

Clothe me in armour and toast to merriment.
Fit my hand with the lance to tilt my opponent.
And to those in the stands, relax your apprehension.
(Stand back squire!) This is beyond your comprehension.

Upon the steed, in a joust of peace, I challenged destiny
And would bravely sacrifice my life for God and country.
Down the list I charged, but my horse stumbled and fell.
And they wept as for one dead, but I arose alive and well.

Let it be said when jest pervades memory of the King,
“He had grit, but maybe a little touched in the noggin!”
                                ***

Note:
   Henry VIII was born Henry Tudor on June 28, 1491, and died on January 28, 1547, at the age of 55. On April 22, 1509, he was crowned King of England, and reigned until his death in 1547. Henry VIII was athletic; standing at six foot and being an accomplished jouster.
   On January 24, 1536, at Greenwich Palace, aka “Palace of Placentia” (located in Greenwich, England on the River Thames), forty-four year old Henry VIII participated in what would become his last joust. As the steed charged down the list with him at the reins, it stumbled, and fell upon him. Henry VIII lay unconscious for two hours but survived. The injuries received from the accident are believed to be the major reason for Henry VIII’s ensuing mood swings and violent temperament.
   Jousting was known as the sport of kings. Two types of jousting matches were engaged in tournament jousting during the medieval ages, joust of war and joust of peace. In a joust of war, a solid, pointed lance was used to knock your opponent off their horse, and in a joust of peace, hollow lances with blunt style tips were employed, meant to shatter upon striking the opponent thereby reducing injuries.

Copyright © Dennis Spilchuk | Year Posted 2021

Please Login to post a comment

Caren Krutsinger Date: 2/7/2021 5:38:00 PM Dennis, I enjoyed your sonnet about Henry the Eighth, especially the last two lines. Login to Reply Dennis Spilchuk Date: 2/9/2021 11:26:00 AM Thank you very much Caren. I sincerely appreciate your comment.

Sigrid Ermine Date: 2/7/2021 3:24:00 PM Dennis, I very much appreciate your interesting and succinct telling of Henry VIII 's plight. Enlightening to read your poem spoken from Henry' s perspective. I think you have aptly captured the reckless mode of the era, the regalia of fighting games. Login to Reply Dennis Spilchuk Date: 2/9/2021 11:28:00 AM Thank you for your observations and commentary.