Poem: "The Treasures of Marco Polo"
This poem came out of the July 3, 2012 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired and sponsored by marina_bonomi. It belongs to a shared setting in which Italy and China are allies. You can read more about Marco Polo's journey online. The villanelle is an Italian form of poetry.
The Treasures of Marco Polo
-- a villanelle
The silver belt of a Tartar knight,
A crate of stones that could burn like wood,
A woman's headdress, heavy and bright --
These Marco Polo brought as his right
From China to Venice as he could.
The silver belt of a Tartar knight
He earned as keshigten in a fight,
The Khan's reward for what he withstood.
A woman's headdress, heavy and bright,
Once graced a princess, love of his light,
But then she died in her motherhood.
The silver belt of a Tartar knight,
It shone with his grief by day and night.
Their son stayed behind; the Khan made good.
A woman's headdress, heavy and bright,
It burned with regret, a precious blight.
They weighed his heart as no treasures should:
The silver belt of a Tartar knight,
A woman's headdress, heavy and bright.