DisplayImage("text", "lamprey_days_zpage224", "
", "
", "center", "70", "5", "5", "[Illustration]") ?>
SubTitle("caps", "The Marionettes") ?>
PoemStart() ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "After the council comes the feast—and then", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Jongleurs and minstrels, and the sudden song", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "That wakes the trumpets and the din of war,—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But now the Caesar's mood is for a jest.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Fellow—you juggler with the puppet-show,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The Emperor permits you to come in.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Ah, yes—the five wise virgins—very fair.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "There certainly can be no harm in that.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The bride, methinks, is somewhat like Matilda,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Wife of Duke Henry whom they call the Lion.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Aye, to be sure—the little hoods and cloaks", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "All tricked out with the arms of Saxony.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "This way—be brisk now—to the banquet-hall.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "'Tis clever—here come bride and bride-maidens", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "With lights in silvern lanterns. Very good.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Milan had puppet-shows, but none, I venture,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "So well set forth as this. . . . No Lombard here,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "He speaks pure French. Aha, the jester comes!", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "A biting satire, yes, a merry jape,—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The Bear that aped the Lion! A good song,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "'Twill please the Saxon, surely. Now, what next?", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Here come the foolish virgins all array'd", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "In mourning veils, with little lamps revers'd.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The merchant will not sell them any oil,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The jester mocks them and the monk rebukes them,—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "A shrewd morality. Aye,—loyalty,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Truth, kindliness and mercy, and wise judgment", "") ?>
PagePoem(226, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Are the five precious oils to light a throne.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "A pretty compliment, a well-turned phrase!", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Woe to the foolish Virgins of the Lombards", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "If we find lamps unlighted on our way!", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Then surely will the door of hope shut fast", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And in that outer darkness will be heard", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Weeping and howling . . . So, is that the end?", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Hark, fellow, you have pleased the Emperor,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "This ring's the token. Take a message now", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "That may be spoken by your wooden King,—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The master-mind regards all Christendom", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "As but a puppet-show,—he pulls the strings,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The others act and speak to suit his book,—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Aye, truly, a most excellent puppet-show!", "") ?>
PoemEnd() ?>