A New Home
by Katherine Ashewode, "The Pocket Bard"
Pennsic 37 (2008)
At Pennsic XXXVII, Casa Bardicci was relocated from its previous location to a new block. This new block happened to have a canal running right through it, upon which the Bardicci built the great hall. Consequently, they declared that they had moved from Bologna to Venice. I wrote this piece in honour of that move.
If you should go to Italy, go north and then bear west,
And you will see an empty plot, a fallow land at rest.
Upon that old, abandoned plot, a Casa once stood tall,
With bright arcades and precious art and music through the hall.
But now Bologna mourns its loss and Venice cheers its gain,
The Casa moved from native lands to n'er return again.
For nine long years within the land, Bardicci made his name
As patron lord of artisans and courtier of fame.
But once Bardicci looked to left, and then he looked to right
And realized his Casa grand was not Bolognia's height.
'Tis true, the Casa was a jewel and pleasure for the eye,
But next to garish, noisy homes its splendour had to vie.
Bardicci was not satisfied with merely status quo,
His Casa had to be unique, its opulence to show.
And so he started hunting for a place to suit his home,
Firenze was to secular, too pious yet was Rome.
But, oh, the lands of Venice, now here potential lay:
A quiet sort of splendour it tended to display.
Against this quiet elegance, the Casa sure would shine,
The only problem was the roads were full of salty brine.
But no task was too difficult for the Baron's engineers.
They swore the Casa firm would stand, allaying any fears.
They bridged canals and drained the swamp; they raised the mighty walls,
And gilded art bedecked the rooms while music filled the halls.
And while the Casa once was praised by nobles far and wide,
Its splendour now shines brighter yet, a brilliance none can hide.