Explore "Monseigneur Plays" by Theodosia Pickrering Garrison on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Monseigneur plays his new gavotte -- / Within her gilded chair the Queen / Listens, her rustling maids between; / A very tulip-garden stirred / To hear the fluting of a bird; / Faint sunlight through the casement falls / On cupids painted on the walls / At play with doves. Precisely set / Awaits the slender legged spinet / Expectant of its happy lot, / The while the player stays to twist / The cobweb ruffle from his wrist. / A pause, and then -- (Ah, whisper not) / Monseigneur plays his new gavotte.
Monseigneur plays his new gavotte -- / Hark, 'tis the faintest dawn of Spring, / So still the dew drops whispering / Is loud upon the violets; / Here in this garden of Pierrettes' / Where Pierrot waits, ah, hasten Sweet, / And hear; on dainty, tripping feet / She comes -- the little, glad coquette. / "Ah thou, Pierrot?" "Ah thou, Pierrette?" / A kiss, nay, hear -- a bird wakes, then / A silence -- and they kiss again, / "Ah, Mesdames, have you quite forgot -- " / (So laughs his music.) "Love's first kiss? / Let this note lead you then, and this / Back to that fragrant garden-spot." / Monseigneur plays his new gavotte.