Love It From Afar, or the Spoonie's Lament

To the obvious tune.

Love it from afar,
All the pageantry and action
And the merchants and wars.
I had some good times,
But it pushed me too far.
It ain't a spoonie's day,
Playing in the SCA.

Loved it all so much:
Garb and bardic, feasts and dancing
And the crack of rattan
And the flick of the fencer,
All we made with our hands,
But I can't lead or plan
When my pain's close to ten.

I spun plates and filled quorums,
Running faster until I fell.
Now I haunt all the forums.
All this fabric and these books--
Some days I can't even cook.

Loved it till I lost,
Dropped the plates, the balls went bouncing,
And I let down the Shire.
I can always aspire,
But I can't take it higher.
Can't take the strain no more;
Guess I'll love it from afar.

Gotta know where the lines are;
If you cross 'em you're bound to pay
With the health you had left, and
Then you're stuck home in your chair
With Youtube clips of the war...

Love it from afar.