Empress Carlota, (middle) in 1924,
Eighty five years of age. Two years later
She will be dead. Under the brim of her velvet
Hat she dabs her eyes with a handkerchief,
and peers up suspiciously. "It's nothing, Madam,"
Says her major-domo (right) "only
A bright light,"-- he is pointing ahead at the camera.
The lady-in-waiting (left) mirrors his
Expression, head cocked forward, eyebrows peaked,
A smile, "Look, Your Majesty, here's our lovely
Parasol," she coaxes, "and our nosegay."
Carlota has been mad for fifty-eight years,
But she's not stupid. She sees us leering through
The camera lens mocking her foolish husband,
Reproaching her brutish father, dismissing her il-
legitimate empire and her chimeral court
Pitying her barren marriage. She knows
That no nosegay will negate the great plague,
nor any parasol forstall the fires of hell.

La emperatríz Carlota, (centro) in 1924
Con ochenta y cinco años de edad. En dos años mas
Será difunta. Debajo de la ala de su sombrero
De terciopelo, limpia sus ojos con su pañuelo
Y echa un vistazo sospechoso. "Es nada, señora,"
Dice su conciller (derecha) "solamenta
Una luz," a puntando hacia la cámera.
La dama de honor (izquierda) imita
Su expresion; cabeza erguida, cejas en picos,
Una sonrisa, "mire, su majestad, aquí está nuestra
sombrilla," la engatusa, "y nuestro ramillete."
Carlota ha estado loca hace cinquenta y ocho años,
Pero no es estupida. Ella nos ve acosando através del
lente, burlándonos de su hombre débil,
Reprochando su bruto papa, desmintiendo su
Império ilejítemo y su corte ilusorio
Compadeciéndonos de su matrimonio estíril. Sabe
Que ningún ramillete negrá la gran plaga,
Ni ninguna sombrilla previene las llamas del infierno.

Jenifer McVaugh