My So-Called Teenage Life Blog Hop

So...my teenage life. 'Twas rather unconventional. My journal posts were sporadic and dull at best--the bad/good thing about being homeschooled was the lack of drama in daily life. But my very favorite (very nerdy) social activity was our lovely Shakespeare group. My friends and I would meet once a month for a potluck dinner and casted read-aloud of one of the Bard's plays.
Shakespeare developed my sense of humor, my sense of prosidy in writing and my love for archaic words. He also inspired a few notebooks full of poetry.
One of my favorite plays was Henry V. The drama! The politics! The funny French accents! Perhaps it holds a specially dear place in my heart because it was the first time I was cast opposite the only boy in the group I ever had a crush on (a really, really cute young man named Mark Hough). He had ten or so lines as King Charles. I had five or six as Queen Isabel. One time, someone else had the line "I love you," and our eyes met across the crowded room, like the song says... A few sentences later, the comic character Louis, the "Dolphin" (our Yale Shakespeare edition didn't update this to Dauphin, apparently) of France, describes his admiration for his prize horse, and reveals his intention to someday write a sonnet to it, beginning, "Wonder of Nature." The magical romantic moment was broken by snorts of laughter. Then Mark started turning his French accent into the chef from The Little Mermaid, adding "He he he, ho ho ho!" onto the end of every line.
That combination of lines and events inspired the following series of poems, which Mark and I wrote back and forth to make each other smile, all the while I tried to convince myself that we were just friends:

If Louis the "Dolphin" ever fell in love
(by Faith Elizabeth Wagner)


My dearest Lady:
Wonder of nature, truly thou art;
They equestrian beauty toucheth my heart!
When my noble eyes first gazed on thy frame,
Steed-like and noble toward me you came.
My heart leapt within me the moment I knew
How like unto my darling horse were you!
Nearly as noble, almost as wise--
You've grown nearly as dear as my horse in mine eyes!
Why compare you to a flower--
Call you "upright as a tower,"
When, in praise, it is quite meet
To laud your sturdy, horselike feet?
One last word in your honor I say:
There's no voice sweet as yours--except my steed's neigh!
O lady, my lady, I do love thee so!
(But I love my horse more--he he he ho ho ho!)
Yours condescendingly,
Prince Louis,
the Dolphin
Son of Charles VI of France and Isabel
Moreover, the noblest, bravest, handsomest, smartest guy you'll ever meet.

Response to the Dolphin, from a Lady who deserves him
(by Mark Langdale Hough)


My dearest Prince,
Your sonnet was kingly, so regally said;
Your trotting verse proves that you are thoroughbred.
It appears though your wooing has tripled in pace;
I think that your hunt has become steeplechase.
And I, a mare modest, don't wish to be "altared"
If doing so now means to you I'd be haltered.
Now don't take this wrong, you're a wonderful steed,
But I feel my soul longing for some other breed.
I hope for to find me the best catch in France,
The type whose sweet neighing will make my heart prance,
A being, perhaps, with a prettier head--
Any chance I could marry your dear horse instead?
Yours,
Princess Pegasus

Response to the Response
(by Faith Elizabeth Wagner)


I admit your selection show flawless good taste,
Yet implore you still not to be wed in such haste!
For if you married my horse then would I be your master--
As you see that arrangement is doomed to disaster!
Besides, my good stallion's feelings must be considered,
And I'm afraid against you he is rather embittered:
When I gave him your proposal to hear what he'd say,
I regret to inform you, he briefly neighed, "nay!"
You can see that your suit with my horse is quite cold,
So I'll renew mine with you if I may be so bold.
It's true I can't gallop or canter or prance,
But for a small consolation, you'd be Queen of France!
Yours,
Prince Louis, et cetera

Response to the Response to the Response
(by Mark Langdale Hough)


Dear Dolphin,
To be Queen of France! That's a wonderful thing!
But that would require I marry a king.
And your father Charles appears quite enraptured
With Queen Isabel (clearly his heart she's captured).
So all that is left if apparently you,
And you're just a prince and so that wouldn't do.
Unless for a present as matter of course
You gave me full use of your glorious horse.
That might make up for the honors I'm due,
And might also make up for marrying you.
With much ambition,
Princess Pegasus


There you have it. Full evidence of my teenage geekiness. I hope you got as many laughs out of this as I have typing it up! :)
Visit Amy Sonnichsen's blog to find the list of other participants--and thanks for hosting, Amy!