Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE PICTURE BOOK QUEEN, by NATHALIA CRANE


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE PICTURE BOOK QUEEN, by                    
First Line: She dwelt in a picture book palace
Last Line: To tell of the end of the tale.


She dwelt in a picture book palace
By a border all printed in red,
In the splendor of primitive candor,
A queen who had never been wed.

Her damsels she tied to her sandals
With promptings and girdles of gelt,
And not till the very last chapter
Could anyone guess what she felt.

Because of her delicate largess
They saw not what might have been seen --
The page from the Porphery Mountains
Who served but a picture book queen.

His eyes were two sapphires but bigger,
His lips bore the sign of the plum,
His mission to straighten a cushion --
To gaze, and forever be dumb.

The summer began oh, so simply,
The minstrels were issued new lutes,
But late in July a squire dozing
Grew spurs on his Cordovan boots.

And presently knights went a-wooing,
The witches were working in shifts,
Betrothals won greetings with leaseholds
And other encouraging gifts.

The fountains were cluttered with philtres --
Oh who could have done such a thing?
The sages dispensed with the ages,
Each scullery girl got a ring.

The weddings were set for a saint's eve,
The Pryor addressed the brigade,
In the distance the Porphery Mountains
Smiled down on that bridal parade.

Her Majesty heard from a tower
That honeymoon multitude cheer.
In the splendor of primitive candor
She waved to each pillion and spear.

The cavalcade slowly departed,
The darkness deleted the vale,
And then came a page with a candle
To tell of the end of the tale.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net