The Fool And May Queen

Contestants in the May Day pageantry,
All iron-clad and wearing chain-mail vests,
And bearing their own brand of heraldry-
With rampant lions emblazoned on their chests,
With falcons and tri-foliate fleur-de-lis,
And Maltese crosses raised upon their crests-
To trumpets fan-fare, and with much ado,
Arrive this chivalrous and courtly crew.

Astride their trusty stallions and their steeds,
With flying colors on each blunted lance,
That represent their countries and their creeds;
From Germany, Olde England, Wales and France,
Arrive these noble knights of daring deeds,
With most resplendent pomp and circumstance,
Strut these regaled crusaders, who parade
On past the prize-awarding, pretty maid.

And then these gallant knights of middle age
Begin the tournament on tilting ground,
Before the silk pavilions and the stage,
On chargers full of fury and of sound,
In simulated battles they engage,
They brandish with a flourish, thrust and pound
Their rattling long-swords, while they hotly vie
To catch the cool and comely May Queen's eye.

Then at noon intermission comes the fool
With wooden sword and dangling cap-and-balls,
Aboard a hobbled Don Quixote mule,
Who imitates these mock-heroic brawls,
Lampoons with pointed jests the jousting duel
So comically, the lovely maiden falls
Head-over-heels, and to the great dismay
Of now crest-fallen knights, she does relay:

"It seems to me the champion of this field
Is one who wasn't caged in iron vests;
Who didn't proudly bear a blazoned shield,
Engaged not in your man-hood proving tests;
No brandished, steely weapon did he wield,
But simply with his heart-revealing jests,
He drove his humble point home where it counts,
And knocked you haughty oafs off your high mounts!"
     
"Now all you handsome Kings and dandy Jacks
Were strongly built and rich and highly styled,
And were so clever in your planned attacks
Some Queen of Clubs would surely be beguiled,
But it's the card who tops off all your packs,
The joker who is absolutely wild,
Who cut you high-flown blow-hards down to size-
It is the humble jester takes the prize!"