Happy Rez Day Mr. Drinkwater -- (AND It's not a DUEL)

Yesterday was the rez day party for Caledon's beloved librarian, Mr. JJ Drinkwater. It was held on a lovely platform floating above Primverness. It was wonderful of Her Grace, CoyoteAngel Dimsum to host us in her duchy.

I gave Mr. Drinkwater two presents last night. The first was a Quizaphone, with a newly written HG Wells quiz (Now Playable at my shoppe in SteamSkyCity). The second was the fulfillment of a request. Who am I to deny the rezday boy?

As Mr. Drinkwater prepared for his Haiku Duel, I as his second would have sparring sessions with him. Alas, I do not have the transcripts to the sparring session. After his duel we often talked about doing an exhibition match. Well last night was our exhibition. And now writing the word, do I realize how appropriate "exhibition" was. For we did not stand apart at 10 paces hurling 5-7-5's at each other, the encounter was more intimate than that. It was the variation on the Duchess Sandwich, the Duchess Manwich, first seen at Her Grace, Eva Bellambi's rezday party.

Mr. Wormser, Her Grace Gabrielle Reil, Rezday boy JJ Drinkwater
photograph by Lady Lavendar Beumont

Here we see that the center of the manwich and the inspiration for the night's poetry was Her Grace, Gabrielle Riel. Unlike our sparring session, I have this time saved the Haiku Exhibition. Mr. Drinkwater went first, followed by yours truly.

Good Sir ZenMondo/I think it now behooves us/ to Oblige Her Grace?

To oblige her grace / no greater honor is this / to serve great beauty.

to serve great beauty/ one poet tries with his skill/ *two* must use teamwork

Two must use teamwork / a bond not to be broken / Three is much stronger

Three *is* much stronger/ a number famed in magic/ three wishes, three fates....

Three Wishes, Three Fates / three dancers are intertwined / Grace is apparent.

Grace is apparent/ if Grace turns away from one/ the next will catch her

The next will catch her / If one is falling in love / never hit bottom

never hit bottom/ when Beauty's held by we who/ pass Grace hand to hand

Pass Grace hand to hand / whispers will pass heart to heart / sharing the beauty.

Sharing the beauty/ to have a fellow who knows/ my meter, is joy

"My Meter is Joy" / I think Drinkwater's Bragging / there is more than size.

there is more than size/ when as well as height and breadth/ we measure in rhyme

we measure in rhyme / passion surely is no crime /while dancing in time

while dancing in time/ we find, too, that there is space/ for this energy

for this energy / propelling us to the sky /more than potential

If this seems a bit on the short side for an exhibition, there is a reason. The Incident at JJ Drinkwater's Rez Day Party is one that will not be soon forgot, and I see no purpose in rehashing it now. All I will say on the manner is that one man's reputation is perhaps irreparably tarnished in Caledon, and an undeserved injury was given a lady.

Already there have been calls to meet the cad on a field of honor, but I think more appropriate response will not to call anymore attention to the shameful act, but merely to shun the vilain.