Courtesy at the Feast

tinyurl.com/courtesyfeast

The harper’s lovely, that I’ll say;
I wish I could have heard her play.

Good gentles, nobles, worthies all,
We've gathered here within this hall
To feast, and talk, and — one more thing:
To hear the entertainers sing,
The harpers harp, the bards recite,
The minstrels play into the night.
But there are those who talk and chatter
As if performers didn’t matter.

Think how it feels to pour your heart
Into your craft, rehearse your art,
Perform at feast before the crowd,
Then find the talking was so loud
That no-one heard; and those who would
Enjoy the music if they could
Were cheated too, denied the chance
To hear the song or rhyme or dance.

A talk delayed can still go on,
But when the act is done — it’s gone.

Now, no-one asks (not I, at least)
That silence reign throughout the feast;
And no-one orders or implores you
To listen to an act that bores you.
We’ll bear no grudges, shed no tears,
If you put hands upon your ears
’Til act is done – and then resume
Your talk, ’til talking fills the room.

But while the act is not yet done,
I beg you, silence, every one.
This kindness show, and you will be
Renowned for knightly courtesy —
Which, after all, is why we’re here,
Reclaiming gracious yesteryear.

I’ll make my toast with one more word:
To entertainers that we heard.

— C. M. Joserlin (“Raven”), April 30, 1994
[placed into the public domain, for the sake of such events]

[The Suno AI has composed and performed a tune for this song.]