ODE TO SPRINGFEST 2004
Caileadair Etana
Hooray, hoorah!
La-de-da! Ta-Ta!
Springfest has come
and finally gone!
We all managed to survive
and make it through alive
so let's dare to re-live the tales of its magic
wonderful memories of great fun not-so-tragic!
With oohs and aahs of amaze
the Orient grandly opened
despite the sudden tidal wave
which sundered the light of the day
till Cybergod jot chanted a complex code spell
so the chat server speedily got well
and all the folks could continue to play.
So on to Egypt we all trekked
the Kemetan Festival Hall soon jam-packed
the Djet Pillar to quickly race
who would make it in first place?
a Scavenger Hunt in Malkata Palace
gave us a headache, please pass the aspirin
then visit the temples eyes a-gogglin'
we now want to be gods, live high on the hog
ah, a Day in the Life of an Egyptian!
Next came the daunting city of Rome
daunting? yes! though quite a few call it home
Palilia, Romaea presented with Subura style
and some Quizzes to see if Google'd give up
the information desperately sought in the pile
the Birthday Card Contest brought forth great art
so on to visit the Tragic Poet's House so cool
till time the Satire Play cracked us up what a hoot!
We moved on to Babylon's Party Hall Central
not yet dragging our feet, still feeling fleet
we'd barely just started to meet and to greet
at the Berber Market and Arcade we'd get some relief
the Sounds of Andalusia easily soothed our worn souls
Tribond and Jeopardy made us seek our kash bowls
dizzy we became as Sinbad's Maze confuzzled us true
but we eventually even got to celebrate No Ruz
Whose Pet Is It? gave us trouble we soon o'ercame
and on to purple Phoenicia to finish the game!
Athens invited us all to Olympia, bravely on we continued
while the tylenol and icepacks flowed amongst the retinue
But ho! the Games do go on, so Oaths were duly sworn
and yes, gasp!, there were even Sacrifices to adorn
amazing new Chariots started popping up to the fore
the Parthenon was again dedicated as of yore
the Stadion called for the fleetest of foot
also offered were Tours and a rough Quiz to boot
then we all got to get down and dirty with Zeus!
On to Festival Square, Machu Picchu greeted us there
only to discover golden maize in land, water, air and our hair
we got lost in the cornfields because of the Quiz
and the Crossword Puzzle had us totally fizzed
the Corn Tale impressed us our jaws just dropped
but we firmed them once we got into our Canoes to race
of any survivors there's nary a one trace!
Germania hailed us with pitchers of ale
and Sagas to keep us enchanted, regaled
the Red Boar Tavern filled up in no time
the folks were all singing though nothing did rhyme
it didn't take much for us all to break down
there's just no way to avoid that in Germania-town!
Celtia came next at its ever lively Feis
by this time we knew we were on our last life
we braced ourselves with Feasting and Kisses
watched the Lighting of Fires, the Torch Runners' near misses
listened to bards enchant us with great verses of Beltane
then up we took the Neighborhood Game with a brave face
wowsers don't we all just look so great?
the Healing Tent took on the Cattle Raid bruisers
the Boar Hunt contestants sporting black-eyed confusion
and the Lumberjack wannabees with ouchy contusions
the Scavenger Hunt had us hunting down its creator
then King Cormac showed his face so all were much happier!
Again to the Orient we took along our flagging selves
the Dancing Lion Festivity Center was looking real swell
a Parade was given to get us all way over-hyped
we didn't even mind that the Bears were all striped
Fei Jing offered tickets to tours of sheer wonder
then on to Race the Silk Road did the hardy gamesters meander
finally we could head for food and drinks at the Khantina
was Springfest almost over? not sure we believed it!
Closing Ceremonies and Awards still left to attend
and gods of the heavens! a banquet as well
more cheering to do and more drinks to swill
no one can say we definitely didn't get our fill
Springfest, we love you but give us a break
how much more of you could we hold out on and partake?
the Scribe servants worked at a feverish pitch
the volunteers aiding throughout every glitch
the Demis were banging their heads to choose true
and Jot was still coding there in the back room
we all laughed and cheered
drank huge rivers and waterfalls of beer
ate and ate till we dropped
man, we simply couldn't stop!
On Herky! On Corny! On Julilla!
On jojo! On Eirene!
On Bryce! On jot!
You're the best! You're the tops!
ok, so this lowly bardess is kissin' some *cough*
really I'm just trying to get a few days off!
But all good things must come to an end
yes, even dear Springfest our newest best friend
ever to be remembered down through the ages
and preserved for all time in AW's pages
we do mourn your passing
but damn! lookee there on the horizon
already we see the Goldfest workload amassing!
~Caileadair Etana
(c) 5/3/04
