 | Rhymes to be traded for bread |  |
THE FLIGHT OF MONA LISA.
BEING THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE STEALING OF LEONARDO DA VINCI'S MASTERPIECE FROM THE GALLERY OF THE LOUVRE.
ALWAYS ENTHRONED, AND EVER WISE AND STILL [OMITTED]RIVERS OF STARING, STRENUOUS FOLK WENT BY,
ONLY THE WISE AND RIPE OF SOUL WOULD PAUSE,
MARKING THE SHADOWED MAGIC OF YOUR EYE [OMITTED]
NOW MOBS UNDO YOUR NAME WITH CLACKING TONGUE.
TOO DULL TO KNOW THE LADY THAT YOU ARE,
OF WHICH YOU WERE THE CULMINATING STAR—
CROWDS, TO WHOM BEAUTY IS A HIDDEN BOOK—
THOUGH THEY GO SEEK IT TILL THEIR EYES ARE RED;
MEN TO WHOM LEONARDO IS UNKNOWN
OR BUT A DUSTY FAME, A LONG TIME DEAD:
THESE SAY THAT YOU WERE COURTED BY A THIEF,
NAY, RATHER, AFTER HALF A THOUSAND YEARS,
YOUR SMILE TOOK ON AN UNEXPECTED BLOOM,
DESIRE AROSE THAT MOVED YOU NIGH TO TEARS.
YOU FLASHED THAT PRINCESS-GLANCE THAT WAS COMMAND—
“CARRY ME WITH YOU YOUTH. I LEAVE THIS PLACE.
I GROW LOVE-HUNGRY 'MID THE CENTURIES,
YOURS IS THE DESTINED, FLUSHED ADORING FACE!”
AH, WHAT A BEAUTEOUS, WICKED THING IT WAS,
THIS RECKLESS HOPE OF YOURS THAT STUNG HIM SO—
TILL, SCORNING YOUR FAIR PALACE AND YOUR GUARD,
HE HALED YOU TO SOME LONELY PLACE AGLOW.
WHY DID THIS SUDDEN THIRST OF YOURS AWAKE?
CAN FEVER MUTINY IN VEINS SO OLD?
WHAT, IN HIS GESTURE TAMED YOUR SPIRIT HIGH?
WHAT, IN HIS FIGURE MADE YOUR GLANCES BOLD?
TILL, DAY BY DAY YOUR LONG LOOK WITCHING HIM.
HIS FLAGGING PULSES KINDLED TO SPICED FIRE.
AND REACHED AT LAST THE RENAISSANCE SUPREME
ATTAINED THE HEIGHT OF FLORENTINE DESIRE?
I KNOW 'TWAS LEONARDO COME TO EARTH
IN MASQUERADING FANCY DRESSED SO GAY.
TRANSFORMED INTO A CARELESS ARTIST-BOY,
A LOAFING STUDENT WASTING OUT THE DAY,
AH, GROWN SO WEARY OF HIGH HEAVEN'S STREETS!
AND OF THE GLITTERING SAINTS TOO-RIGHTEOUS GRACE!
WEARY OF GODLY SUNSHINE WITHOUT END!
SEEKING AGAIN THE SHADOWS OF YOUR FACE!
YOU DID NOT KNOW HIM FOR HIMSELF UNTIL
YOU FLED, WITHIN HIS ARMS, ADOWN THE STAIR.
THEN, (AND YOU SAW THE GLEAMING PARIS STREET),
HE STOOD A GREY WISE MAN BESIDE YOU THERE.
A WANDERING JEW, TO YOU HIS HEART'S OLD HOME,
HE CAME, AND GAVE YOUR SOUL AT LAST SURPRISE,
HE STRANGELY BROUGHT A CHILD-ASTONISHMENT,
A NOBLE MAIDEN-WONDER TO YOUR EYES.
HE RAVISHED YOU AWAY TO HEAVEN WITH HIM,
STILL YEARNING FOR YOUR BITTER KISS AGAIN—
YOUR BITTER, GENTLE, DOVE-LIKE WEARINESS,
AND FOLLIES GARNERED 'MID THE SONS OF MEN.
| Rhymes to be traded for bread | |