Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs By Walter Thornbury. Illustrated by J. Whistler, F. Walker, John Tenniel, J. D. Watson, W. Small, F. Sandys, G. J. Pinwell, T. Morten, M. J. Lawless, and many others |
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The Pompadour.
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 | Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs |  |
The Pompadour.
Versailles.—Up the chesnut alley,
All in flower, so white and pure,
Strut the red and yellow lacqueys
Of this Madame Pompadour.
All in flower, so white and pure,
Strut the red and yellow lacqueys
Of this Madame Pompadour.
“Clear the way!” cry out the lacqueys,
Elbowing the lame and poor
From the chapel's stately porches—
“Way for Madame Pompadour!”
Elbowing the lame and poor
From the chapel's stately porches—
“Way for Madame Pompadour!”
Old bent soldiers, crippled veterans,
Sigh and hobble, sad, footsore,
Jostled by the chariot-horses
Of this woman—Pompadour.
Sigh and hobble, sad, footsore,
Jostled by the chariot-horses
Of this woman—Pompadour.
Through the levée (poet, marquis,
Wistful for the opening door),
With a rippling sweep of satin,
Sailed the queenly Pompadour.
Wistful for the opening door),
With a rippling sweep of satin,
Sailed the queenly Pompadour.
Sighs by dozens, as she proudly
Glides, so confident and sure,
With her fan that breaks through halberds—
In went Madame Pompadour.
Glides, so confident and sure,
With her fan that breaks through halberds—
In went Madame Pompadour.
Starving abbé, wounded marshal,
Speculator, lean and poor,
Cringe and shrink before the creatures
Of this harlot Pompadour.
Speculator, lean and poor,
Cringe and shrink before the creatures
Of this harlot Pompadour.
“Rose in Sunshine! Summer lily!”
Cries a poet at the door,
Squeezed and trampled by the lacqueys
Of the witching Pompadour.
Cries a poet at the door,
Squeezed and trampled by the lacqueys
Of the witching Pompadour.
“Bathed in milk and fed on roses!”
Sighs a pimp behind the door,
Jammed and bullied by the courtiers
Of this strumpet Pompadour.
Sighs a pimp behind the door,
Jammed and bullied by the courtiers
Of this strumpet Pompadour.
“Rose of Sharon!” chants an abbé,
Fat and with the voice of four,
Black silk stockings soiled by varlets
Of this Rahab Pompadour.
Fat and with the voice of four,
Black silk stockings soiled by varlets
Of this Rahab Pompadour.
“Neck so swan-like—Dea certe:
Fit for monarchs to adore!”
“Clear the way!” was still the echo,
“For this Venus—Pompadour.”
Fit for monarchs to adore!”
“Clear the way!” was still the echo,
“For this Venus—Pompadour.”
Open!—with the jar of thunder
Fly the portals—clocks strike four:
With a burst of drums and trumpets
Come the King and Pompadour.
Fly the portals—clocks strike four:
With a burst of drums and trumpets
Come the King and Pompadour.
| Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs | |