Do Not Disavow

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Do Not Disavow By: Rick Davis   When Charlemagne established law Salic in barb’rous land, The gospel flourished, and he saw Christ’s praise on every hand.   (“Do you approve his methods now?”) I do not disavow.   King Godfrey took Jerusalem From bloody paynim hands And brought a halt to Musselmen Invading Christian lands.   (“He did some mean things anyhow!”) I do not disavow.   King Richard with his scarlet shield And passant lions ‘bossed Rode forth again unto the field To regain what was lost.   (“His deeds at Acre you allow?”) I do not disavow.   Unto the Germans Luther brought The gospel full restored, And Calvin at Geneva taught The glory of the Lord.   (“The Jews? Servetus? Holy cow!”) I do not disavow.   Stonewall and Lee like knights of old Fought for their native soil, The true and lovely to uphold Against the tyrant’s spoil.   (“Those vile racists ...
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A Song to the Lute

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It's Poetry Tuesday again, and my poem this week is the sonnet "A Song to the Lute in Musicke" by Richard Edwards. It is alluded to by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet Act IV Scene 5. The version here is from Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, compiled by Bishop Thomas Percy and published in 1847.

A Song to the Lute in Musicke
Richard Edwards

Where gripinge grefes the hart would wounde,
   And dolefulle dumps the mynde oppresse,
There musicke with her silver-sound
   With spede is wont to send redresse:
Of trobled mynds, in every sore,
Swete musicke hath a salve in store.

In joye yt maks our mirthe abounde,
   In woe yt cheres our hevy sprites;
Be-strawghted heads relyef hath founde,
   By musickes pleasaunt swete delightes:
Our senses all, what shall I say more?
Are subjecte unto musicks lore.

The Gods by musicke have theire prayse;
   The lyfe, the soul therein doth joye:
For, as the Romayne poet sayes,
   In seas, whom pyrats would destroy,
A dolphin saved from death most sharpe
Arion playing on his harpe.

O heavenly gyft, that rules the mynd,
   Even as the sterne dothe rule the shippe!
O musicke, whom the gods assinde
   To comforte manne, whom cares would nippe!
Since thow both man and beste doest move,
What beste ys he, wyll the disprove?

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