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A Warrior Bold

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Poetry & Literature

A Warrior Bold

Jeffrey Phillips FreemanJeffrey P. Freeman Sep 5, 2012 2 min read

TL;DR A bittersweet WWI-era ballad about a knight who rides into battle singing of his love, choosing honor and devotion over life itself. history About this poemThis was the song my grandfather used to sing to me as kid. He used to sing it with his army buddies during World War II. In days of old, when knights were bold, And barons held their sway, A warrior bold, with spurs of gold, Sang merrily his lay; Sang merrily his lay: "My love is young and fair, My love hath golden hair, And eyes so blue, and heart so true, That none with her compare.

TL;DR

A bittersweet WWI-era ballad about a knight who rides into battle singing of his love, choosing honor and devotion over life itself.

history
About this poem

This was the song my grandfather used to sing to me as kid. He used to sing it with his army buddies during World War II.

In days of old, when knights were bold,
And barons held their sway,
A warrior bold, with spurs of gold,
Sang merrily his lay;
Sang merrily his lay:
"My love is young and fair,
My love hath golden hair,
And eyes so blue, and heart so true,
That none with her compare.
So what care I tho' death be nigh,
I'll live for love or die.
So what care I, tho' death be nigh,
I'll live for love or die."

So this brave knight, in armor bright,
Went gayly to the fray;
He fought the fight, but ere the night,
His soul had pass'd away,
His soul had pass'd away.
The plighted ring he wore
Was crush'd and wet with gore,
Yet ere he died, he bravely cried,
"I've kept the vow I swore.
So what care I tho' death be nigh,
I've fought for love and die,
So what care I, tho' death be nigh,
I've fought for love, for love I die
I've fought for love,
For love, for love I die."

check_circleKey takeaways

  • A warrior's oath outlasts even death
  • Love and honor are inseparable in the knight's code
  • The refrain binds the narrative like a battle hymn
Filed under#Poetry & Literature
Jeffrey Phillips Freeman
Jeffrey Phillips Freeman

Data scientist, open-source innovator, and three-time founder who writes about graphs, radios, and the occasional impossibility. Allegedly just another data scientist. Say hello →

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