Golden Crowns

by Dmitri Skomorochov
(Cold Iron - tune by Leslie Fish, original words by Rudyard Kipling)

Red belts for the squires, white belts for the knights,
Green for the apprentice, who've not yet earned the rights,
Yellow for the proteges, still giving it their all,
But crowns, golden crowns, shall be masters of them all,

Circlets for the lords and ladies, quarter inch, no more,
Half inch for the honored folk who've done a little more,
Six points for the baron, each one a little ball,
But crowns, golden crowns, shall be masters of them all,

Red scarves for the fencers, white scarves for the dons,
The Laurels and the Pelicans both have medallions,
Roses for the consorts who sat in royal hall,
But crowns, golden crowns, shall be masters of them all,

Coronets are worn by those who won the kingly bout,
Strawberry leaves are for the duke, embattled for the count,
And for the time they sat on throne and guided over all,
Their crowns, golden crowns, were the masters of us all!