Diane de Poitiers and the Undines
Sadly unnoticed by Gustave Flaubert, a wordsmith
Daydreaming of a moon mistress,
The phantom awakes within the gilded artifice
Of Fontainebleau myths and grey-white lakes;
Beyond the miasma of Flemish tapestries and bones
Diane reads an unextirpated perfumed letter—
Its Gothic script quickly dissolves
In the labradorescent dance of the waves.
Shining undines serenely salute
The first rays of the sun under five airy arches,
Entwined initials don’t know the flow of time—
They simply watch the river don different masks.
Henri sees the light of Diane and all lilies sing,
When the chaste Diane wanes and turns dark,
Courtesan Nattier pinks hiss at a Clouet owl.
Only a silvery wave remains an unbending champion
Of eternal light in the evergreen spring of soul;
Soothing streams bring a sharp finesse of mind
Inside a most sacred chapel of pure devotion,
Ah, even crowned revenants must find a way to trust.
Diane de Poitiers loved Chenonceau, she devoted much of her time and money turning Chenonceau into one of the finest royal palaces in France. Her bedroom "The Chamber des Reines" is a delightful blend of style and luxury. The room is dominated by Diane de Poitiers’ bed which is believed to have an ‘extraordinary’ effect on those who lay on it. In his book Along the Loire, Gustave Flaubert described his delight at seeing Diane de Poitier’s bedroom:
"Among the amusing artifacts that you can find in Chenonceau, is the bed of Diane de Poitiers, a canopy bed from the royal concubine, covered with damask. If it was mine, I would not resist lying down once in a while. To sleep in the bed of Diane de Poitiers, even empty, is much more exciting than sleeping in other bed with much more touchable realities. Imagine, if you are part of those who have imagination, the incredible, historical and 16th century voluptuousness, to put your head on the pillow and the mattress of the concubine of Henri II. Oh! How would I like to exchange all the women in the world against the mummy of Cleopatra"
