French Poetry

To Laura, Duchess d'A.
by Victor Hugo (1802-1885)
[from Poems in three volumes by Victor Hugo, Vol. 1 (Boston, n.d.)]
_____


SINCE were their souls too mean to comprehend
That after so great splendours, power and pride,
Duty and honour called on France to lend
A grave, wherein thy coffin might abide;

Since they felt not that she who, dauntless still,
Dared glory, praise, and ruffian knaves confound,
Has right to sleep upon the holy hill,
Has right to sleep where heroes rest around:

Of our great battles, since the memory
Burns not within them, like a sacred flame;
Since they are void of heart and sympathy,
Who could refuse (small boon) the tomb you claim, --

'Tis mine to sing an expiatory song;
Mine, on my knees, our sorrow to rehearse;
To me to guard thy memory doth belong,
And to embalm in sweet and mournful verse.

This time,'tis mine to shelter and defend
Death 'gainst its comrade, pale Forgetfulness;
With scattered roses, mine thine urn to tend,
To crown thy name with laurels -- and redress.

Since fools heap insults, now thou 'rt sunk to rest,
Upon thy brown, by Caesar glorious made
'Tis mine, whose hand thine own in friendship prest,
To whisper, "I am near: be not afraid!"

For I my mission have. Armed with my lyre,
Full of fierce hymns which would their wrath declare,
Guarding the glories I, of the Empire,
Resolved that none these to attack shall dare.

Its memories in thy faithful heart were stored,
When adverse skies spread o'er us Sorrow's night.
On noble wrongs thy noble spirit soared,
Oft with an eagle's eye, with angel's flight.

Brave 'neath thy woes, of ours compassionate,
Woman! to storms and hostile strife a prey,
Thou never didst their baseness imitate,
Nor trod to safety's port by coward's way.

Thou glorious muse, and (though inglorious) I,
Have each our lives this mandate laid upon:
A steadfast knot which each to each doth tie
The hero's widow, and the soldier's son.

Hence in this Babel, I for evermore
Each scrap of our scorned flag shall kiss and save,
Unto the emperor I bade France restore
His column, and to thee to grant the grave