MARGUERITE OF FRANCE by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS

THE Moslem spears were gleaming
Round Damietta's towers,
Though a Christian banner from her wall
Waved free its lily-flowers.
Ay, proudly did the banner wave,
As queen of earth and air;
But faint hearts throbbed beneath its folds
In anguish and despair.

Deep, deep in Paynim dungeon
Their kingly chieftain lay,
And low on many an Eastern field
Their knighthood's best array.
'Twas mournful, when at feasts they met,
The wine-cup round to send;
For each that touched it silently
Then missed a gallant friend!

And mournful was their vigil
On the beleaguered wall,
And dark their slumber, dark with dreams
Of slow defeat and fall.
Yet a few hearts of chivalry
Rose high to breast the storm,
And one -- of all the loftiest there --
Thrilled in a woman's form.

A woman, meekly bending
O'er the slumber of her child,
With her soft sad eyes of weeping love,
As the Virgin Mother's mild.
Oh! roughly cradled was thy babe,
Midst the clash of spear and lance,
And a strange, wild bower was thine, young queen!
Fair Marguerite of France!

A dark and vaulted chamber,
Like a scene for wizard-spell,
Deep in the Saracenic gloom
Of the warrior citadel;
And there midst arms the couch was spread,
And with banners curtained o'er,
For the daughter of the minstrel-land,
The gay Provencal shore!

For the bright queen of St. Louis,
The star of court and hall!
But the deep strength of the gentle heart
Wakes to the tempest's call!
Her lord was in the Paynim's hold,
His soul with grief oppressed,
Yet calmly lay the desolate,
With her young babe on her breast!

There were voices in the city,
Voices of wrath and fear --
"The walls grow weak, the strife is vain --
We will not perish here!
Yield! yield! and let the Crescent gleam
O'er tower and bastion high!
Our distant homes are beautiful --
We stay not here to die!"

They bore those fearful tidings
To the sad queen where she lay --
They told a tale of wavering hearts,
Of treason and dismay:
The blood rushed through her pearly cheek,
The sparkle to her eye --
"Now call me hither those recreant knights
From the bands of Italy!"

Then through the vaulted chambers
Stern iron footsteps rang;
And heavily the sounding floor
Gave back the sabre's clang.
They stood around her -- steel-clad men,
Moulded for storm and fight,
But they quailed before the loftier soul
In that pale aspect bright.

Yes! as before the falcon shrinks
The bird of meaner wing,
So shrank they from th' imperial glance
Of her -- that fragile thing!
And her flute-like voice rose clear and high
Through the din of arms around --
Sweet, and yet stirring to the soul,
As a silver clarion's sound.

"The honour of the Lily
Is in your hands to keep,
And the banner of the Cross, for Him
Who died on Calvary's steep;
And the city which for Christian prayer
Hath heard the holy bell --
And is it @3these@1 your hearts would yield
To the godless infidel?

"Then bring me here a breastplate
And a helm, before ye fly,
And I will gird my woman's form,
And on the ramparts die!
And the boy whom I have borne for woe,
But never for disgrace,
Shall go within mine arms to death
Meet for his royal race.

"Look on him as he slumbers
In the shadow of the lance!
@3Then@1 go, and with the Cross forsake
The princely babe of France!
But tell your homes ye left @3one@1 heart
To perish undefiled;
A woman, and a queen, to guard
Her honour and her child!"

Before her words they thrilled, like leaves
When winds are in the wood;
And a deepening murmur told of men
Roused to a loftier mood.
And her babe awoke to flashing swords,
Unsheathed in many a hand,
As they gathered round the helpless One,
Again a noble band!

"We are thy warriors, lady!
True to the Cross and thee;
The spirit of thy kindling words
On every sword shall be!
Rest, with thy fair child on thy breast!
Rest -- we will guard thee well!
St. Denis for the Lily-flower
And the Christian citadel!"

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...