Authors: Jane Urquhart
Some Other Garden (5 page)
I was riding to the fire of the sun
it balanced on a side aisle of the garden
and I never really was
and am not now
his widow
though all these fishless ponds can reproduce for me
the darker shade of colour in my clothing
I am walking in the garden of his imaginary palace
I do not need a guidebook anymore
I am completely familiar with the laws of puzzle
inflicted by his gravel pathways I am completely
familiar with the unexpected statues that interrupt
his forest and like the moths that every night
invade the lamps along the terrace
I’m moved towards a fire under glass
this landscape
so controlled as to deflect my need to burn
or to extinguish to bring about a quick decided
finish I am walking in the garden of his imaginary
palace where I feel the icy glass against my cheek
and while I fumble in my pockets for a purpose
all his green cathedrals turn to brown
his fountains to reflecting pools
crows clutter up
the sky and gates of autumn still grind soft to close
and then in time to cage
the winter
Photo Credits for
Some Other Garden
Photographs of Versailles by Jennifer Dickson, R.A.
“Near the Grand Trianon.” Allée leading from the Grand Trianon, to infinity.
“Sphinx: the Belvedere.” Near the Petit Trianon, Versailles.
“The French Pavilion.” Near the Petit Trianon, Versailles.
“Late afternoon: the Grand Trianon.” The Garden Drawing Room of the Grand Trianon, Versailles.
“Archway through the Queen’s cabbagepatch.” Hameau de la Reine, Versailles.
“Dawn Nymph.” Fontaine du point du jour, Versailles.
Copyright © 2000 by Jane Urquhart
Eleven Poems for Le Notre
first published in 1982 as I
Am Walking in the Garden of His Imaginary Palace
by Aya Press. Copyright © 1982 by Jane Urquhart
The Little Flowers of Madame de Montespan
first published in 1983 by The Porcupine’s Quill, Inc. Copyright © 1983, 1995 by Jane Urquhart.
All rights reserved. The use of any part of this publication reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or stored in a retrieval system, without the prior written consent of the publisher – or, in case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a licence from the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency – is an infringement of the copyright law.
CANADIAN CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION DATA
Urquhart, Jane, 1949–
Some other garden
Poems.
Originally published in 2 volumes under titles: The little flowers of Madame de Montespan and I am walking in the garden of his imaginary palace
eISBN: 978-1-55199-426-0
1. Montespan, Françoise-Athénaîs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, marquise de, 1641-1707 – Poetry. 2. Louis XIV, King of France, 1638-1715 – Poetry. 3. Le Nôtre, André, 1613-1700 – Poetry. 4. Gardens – France – Versailles – Poetry. I. Title. II. Title: Little flowers of Madame de Montespan. III. Title: I am walking in the garden of his imaginary palace.
PS8591.R68S65 2000 c811′.54 C00-931546-2
PR9199.3.U7S65 2000
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program for our publishing activities. We further acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for our publishing program.
Some of these poems may have undergone minor revisions.
McClelland & Stewart Ltd.
The Canadian Publishers
75 Sherbourne Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5A 2P9
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v3.0