The Tapestry Courtiers Address the Casual Visitor
Commanded cap-a-pe by Medici
we muster here to play for Catherine
the feats of some Greek girl in frippery
you wouldn’t go to costume parties in.
Truth is our points are papier-mache.
They stuck us in these threads to tout Maria
an epic widow queen. For zero pay.
Even back then this seemed a dumb idea.
O, canst thou find in Bayeux, hath Turin
a fabric more express in royalty?
Please. We weren’t even seen by Catherine
and only got a smirk from Queen Marie.
How green they are, and liable to be spoofed,
who let their fealty be warp and woofed.
Mark Stevick