The Emperor Takes His Ease

(after Victor Hugo)

For the banished ones, of stubborn resistance,

France is far off.  The tomb is near.

But don’t worry, Prince.  Enjoy your existence.

In the Bois de Boulogne, chase deer,

chase women in the theatre.  Rome’s burning incense

for you.  The Tsar calls you “frère”.

 

Play on, sweet Prince.  You have swans in Compiegne

and you have the wines of Bordeaux.

You seek novelty, amusement?  Why then,

they’ll bring you fourchettes from Les Baux.

Swooning under your crown of grapes, tiens!

You’re something out of Caravaggio.

 

The convicts are building the lighthouse.  Fine.

So ordered, by the King.

They’re casting bells on foundry lines.

In hellish heat, they’re suffering.

One day their light is going to shine.

Those bells are going to ring.

 

So dawdle, dally.  Have your fun.

Put on your languid airs.

The thread of your Fate’s already spun.

Who’s going to hear your prayers?

Who will save you?  Where will you run,

when the people take what’s theirs?

 

 

Author's Note

The Emperor -- In December 1851, Luois Napoleon Bonaparte, nephew of the Great Napoleon, seized power in France by means of a coup d'etat. The writer Victor Hugo was passionately opposed to Louis Napoleon and wrote a book of poems, "Les Chatiments" ("The Condemnations"), severely criticizing the usurper. he had to go into exille for his own safety. This poem, "L'Empereur s'amuse", is one of the "condemnations".
Bois de Boulogne -- a luxurious park on the southwest edge of Paris, which Louis Napoleon reserved for his own use
Rome's burning incense -- the Catholic church gave its backing to the new "emperor"
The Tsar -- Russia supported Louis Napoleon (in Hugo's eyes, this made a mockery of royalty, because Europe's crowned heads were treating the upstart Louis as a brother)
Compiegne -- a beautiful forest to the north of Paris (again, seized by Bonaparte as a private estate)
fourchettes from Les Baux -- A new metal, aluminium, was discovered in Les Baux. The ore is still known as "bauxite". Louis Napoleon ordered the imperial knives and forks to be made from this novel material.
tiens! -- French for "Oh my God!"
Caravaggio -- 17th-century Italian painter who depicted weird and kinky pleasure-seekers