Poems (Waldenburg)/General Jacqueminot

POEMS.

GENERAL JACQUEMINOT.

How camest thou with thy martial title proud,
Oh petted favorite, General Jacqueminot?
Thou knight most famous 'mid the flower crowd
To whom fair women bend in homage low.

Wert thou some soldier brave, whose chivalry
Rescued the Roses' queen from danger dread;
Who with her love did metamorphose thee,
Wreathing her beauty's glow around thy head?

Making thee ruler of her realm and love,
Oh hapless queen believing thou wert true;
N'er dreaming thou would'st from her garden rove
Flaunting thy colors to the broad world's view?

I have misgivings of thy constancy,
Thou art proud-and fickle General Jacqueminot;
Thou hast left thy loving queen beyond the sea,
Within her lonely bowers she pales with woe.

Thou lovest luxuries of draperied room,
In costly vase thy sumptuous colors shine;
And subtly sweet thy passionate perfume
Oft mingles with the dance and spicy wine.

Envied art thou, for this thy life is blest,
Crowning the raven hair and snowy breast;
By lily fingers treasured and caressed,
To haughty lips thy languid petals pressed.

And she with eyes like stars, and golden tress
Who bore thee with her when the dance was done,
Folded thee to her breast in tenderness,
Whispering love words for thine ear alone.

I sent thee to her with a pleading word,
Did'st say my heart was breaking with its woe?
Tell me, I pray thee, what thine ears have heard,
And I will bless thee, General Jacqueminot.

"I kissed her mouth, I breathed my sweetest sigh,
Your message to her ear I did impart,
'Tis true, she whispered as she threw me by,
Without one drop of water for my heart.

"Ah mortal must thou know, 'Twill grieve thee sore,
Still surely thou hast sadly libelled me;
'One Jacque! How mean, he might have sent me more,'
This was the whisper that she breathed of thee!"