Poem: "Her Burgundy Robe"
This poem came out of the November 6, 2012 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired and sponsored by marina_bonomi, who wanted to read about Adelaide of Italy, also known as Adelaide of Burgundy.
Her Burgundy Robe
Adelaide of Italy was the second wife
of Otto the Great, Holy Roman Emperor,
and perhaps the most prominent woman
in tenth-century Europe.
After her first husband's assassination,
she escaped from his killer
and Otto the Great sent an army
to finish off the rescue.
During her time as Empress
of the Holy Roman Empire,
she focused on charity and prayer
as well as politics.
She later served as regent
of the Holy Roman Empire
as the guardian of her grandson
from 991 A.D. to 995 A.D.
After her death she became the patron saint
of empresses and exiles, princesses and prisoners,
second marriages, step-parents, and in-law problems,
brides, widows, and abuse victims.
One can only surmise that she got to Heaven
and said, "Yes, I've been there and done that,
yes, I'll take over that one too, and those,"
and spread her burgundy robe over all.