Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PORCELAINE DE SAXE, by VIRGINIA LYNE TUNSTALL


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PORCELAINE DE SAXE, by                    
First Line: Petite madame, your smiling face
Last Line: Monsieur shall bow, madame shall smile!


Petite Madame, your smiling face
Serenely scorns the commonplace,
And you, Monsieur, your bow is quite
The fine quintessence of polite!

In seventeen seventy you showed
Your garments as the latest mode, --
Panniers and puffs and fine plumed hat,
Buckles and bows and lace cravat --

But he who made you never guessed
That Time, who loves a sorry jest,
Destroying kings and monarchies,
Would spare you, gay futilities.

How many a timely circumstance
Has saved you from the swift mischance
Which would have left your pieces scattered,
And all your china graces shattered!

The busy housewife, in a fluster, --
A maid's far flung, impetous duster, --
Twixt you and these still intervenes
The god of foolish figurines.

I shrug, but ruefully. Alas.
When I, and all of mine, shall pass.
Still in the best ceramic style
Monsieur shall bow, Madame shall smile!





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