The Mug Sonnet
A short time ago in a Barony not far away, I attended an event called "Cooks and Performers Symposium" (CAPS). My plan for the day was to teach a few classes, sing a few songs, play some music, enjoy dinner, and return home by the time my Lady made it back from a different event that she was attending. There was a certain Midrealm Bard who attended CAPS as well. Her name is Mistress Zsof. Mistress Zsof apparently likes to carry off unattended red mugs that belong to Atlantian bards. It so happens, that I had my red drippy mug with me when I went to CAPS; however, when I returned home from CAPS, I discovered that my red mug was not only missing, but it had been carried off to the Midrealm by none other than Mistress Zsof! Mistress Zsof then took my precious mug on her many travels over the course of several months. She had agreed to return my mug to me at Pennsic in 2015, but once at Pennsic, she apparently took my mug as her newest apprentice. I remember checking my Facebook messages on the day that I was to host the Atlantian Royal Bardic, and found I had been challenged by none other than Mistress Zsof - for ownership of MY MUG! According to Zsof, my mug was apparently experiencing an acute case of Stockholm Syndrome, and wanted to stay with her forever because she (Zsof) thought she kind of liked my mug (ok, so maybe I'm paraphrasing a bit). Anyway, Zsof had challenged me to bring my "best" work honoring the mug, and she would do the same. There would be a bardoff for MY mug. The outrage!!! Needless to say, I immediately accepted Mistress Zsof's challenge, then I promptly went to merchants with my Lady. After merchants, I checked my messages again, and it did, in fact, appear that I had been challenged to a bardoff for later that afternoon. So, I quickly scribbled down "The Mug Sonnet" to present my case of ownership of MY mug. Nothing says "love" better than a Sonnet, so I was fairly confident that I'd get my mug back, unless Zsof wrote a better sonnet, of course. Fortunately, Zsof told a story when she arrived at the Atlantian bardic. After hearing my sonnet, in the language of love, Mistress Zsof immediately returned my mug to me. Good thing too. Her story was (unbelievably) fantastic! Its not often that one is happy about having their property hauled off to another Kingdom. But, I'm quite glad that Zsof stole my mug. Good memories are made when bard mugs are stolen! See below for "The Mug's Sonnet" - but the story behind the sonnet is certainly better than the sonnet!
The Mug Sonnet, by Johann von Solothurn