~ A Lad He Learns ~      

Recorded in my voice.

A lad he learns, while at apron strings, in warrior's ways to play;

Mother’s brave little boy, building dreams of daring deeds again,

Their names may no longer be known, but their truths are ever told:

The smith of a warrior's heart, works soft ore, hammer’d hard and strong.

A youth he yearns a hero's name, by his worth to win one day.

Well above the warrior's bench, do heroes sit in honor's hall.

The smith of a hero's heart works valor's forge with fire and tong:

But few are the lives the Fates do spin with threads of hero's steel;

Those hearts of legend and ancient rhyme, to name a few I bid:

Noble Nevsky, Relentless Roland, Mighty Mac Cumhaill of Eire,

The youth yet finds that a hero's path, may be too hard to take—

So the smith of a knight's stout soul, softens hero's steel with grace,

A lady ‘twas, first that found, the secret of chivalry’s heart:

Humility and kind compassion, work warrior into knight,

A knight's rough road requires a stout soul, marked by the choices made,

The smith of a chivalric heart, works "hôher muot"* with mind:

For long ages have we listened, to the lore of knights well known.

We crave more than tales of triumph—tell us his “true-heart’s’’ story:

Whose names honor chivalry's hall? Whose names rise above mere men?

Self-Made Marshal William, Barb'rossa— who bides in buried vault,

To his final breath, the sworn-knight strives a better man to be;

The way from “warrior” to “knight”, is found in why and how we fight;

But few of us follow that fierce path—to be a noble knight;

Chivalry lives—in a life of choices ever without end,

While Grace inspires us to face our fears with humility;

The smith of a graceful heart, works with the basest metals best;