The last summer
Jumping back to the beginning of the story -- here's how Gawain spends what he thinks will be his last year on earth. See the index to this long piece, here.
The sickle moon blinked in the treetops
As Gawain faced that New Year's day
He knew that it would be his last year
He knew that fate would have its way
Quick the darkness loosed its grip, then
Quick the winter filled with light
Quick the snowbanks turned to meltstreams
Quick the day took time from night.
Spring came soon, the softest season
And Gaiwan found his heart's fear eased
To lie in bluebells seemed enough then
to watch the quick clouds on the breeze
He lived a soft life, greatly favoured
by knights and ladies of the court
they wept when he couldn't see them
they filled his daylight hours with sport
Summer came, the wheat turned golden
and flax as blue as midnight snow
and as the fall drew ever closer
Gawain knew that he must go
The people gathered for his going
though they were sad to see him leave
They honoured him with fine equipment
They tied their favours to his sleeve
They brought a tunic, brought a surcoat
brought a mantel, all of silk
and red as heart-blood, red for courage
bright as fire and soft as milk
They choose a sword, they gave him armour
so bright it shone out from afar
like silver water lapped with moonlight
And on his shield they set a star
They choose a horse, and joked it matched him,
young and small, with long plain face
They named her Steadfast, in his honour
a sturdy mare of sense and grace
They hung bright banners for his going
they stood tiptoe to see him part
they sent him down the road with music
they held his funeral in their hearts
