The Right of Proclamation was purportedly a Ferengi custom which consisted of a person giving a romantic speech to their lover.
In reality, the custom was created by Quark in 2373. Quark was using a Virtual Control Device in order to assist him in fighting Thopok and consequently winning Grilka's heart. When Worf, in control of the device, accidentally damaged it, Quark was forced to improvise, creating the "Right of Proclamation".
Although none of the Klingons present, including Tumek, had heard of the custom, Grilka permitted Quark to carry it out over the objections of Thopok.
Quark's proclamation to Grilka contained the following verses:
- To this end my blade
- soars through the
- aquarium of my soul seeking the
- kelp of discontent which must be cut so that the
- rocky bottom of love lies in waiting, with fertile
- sand for the coming seed of Grilka's
- affection.
- And yet, does this explain my need for her? No. It is like
- oh, a giant
- cave of emptiness waiting for
- the bats of love to hang by –
At this point the proclamation was mercifully cut short when Jadzia Dax managed to fix the Virtual Control Device. (DS9: "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places")