Juliana

Written at the request of Liverpool Artist Stephen Collett

on 12 June 2009

when asked to pen thoughts that came to mind upon first seeing a canvas …

Do you ever see beauty
you desire and taste,
but to be the vessel too?

I am that vessel
and sweet nectar contained.

Eyes darker than wine
teeth whiter than milk.[1]

But Potiphar’s wife
I can also be,
IF occasion takes me!

I have all that I want
and want more besides;
my appetite 
my petite vitality,
but, oh dear,
many a man’s fall!

My stiletto’s my 
“calling card”
that says I will
see you again
in this gorgeous 
balcony room

Marble floors
sweet decadence…

Oh yes,
I have a wonderful life,
Dean Close Private
then Ladies College Cheltenham,
don’t you know!

Embassy Dinners
a Whitehall minister,
no not of the cloth ...
the other brigade!

Presentation at Court
Gilded Invitations
Garden parties at
Highgrove,
Buckingham Palace,
Sandringham,
Kensington too.

All those posture lessons
balancing books on my head,
hours in ballet class 
standing the rail,
I would gracefully move... ...

“N o!  G l i d e  J u l i a n a
g l i d e  D e a r
a s i f y o u ’r e
f l o a t i n g o n a i r...!”

... mutters Miss Montague
unaware of the sugar-plum
fairy she has now become!

Oh – all that
finishing school,
but gaze on me now!

Every man in thrall!!

And that is why
I laze here.

What? Slouching?

You surely jest?

No, sir!

Lounging!!

LOUNGING!!

in classic rebellion...
Chaise Longue
dressed down for Glastonbury
and alternative music!

My hair is long
to the small of my back
but later, tonight,
Alma Tadema[2]
swept back;
gracefully curling
to the small of my neck,
Asian, Grecian
held together by
Great Grand MaMa’s
Tiara
’from the Court of St James
circa 1901’ MaMa tells me, 
... with a purr

(a sensual giggle)

Then, in that regalia
I love the Presentation;
the quiet curtsy
as My Lady glides by ...
Today our Principal Lady in Waiting,
tomorrow, well, you know Who!
And still with an eye for detail,
impossible to miss a trick!

(inaudible, beneath the breath flirting)

Haha! Yes a previous
generation’s finishing school
learning the art of deportment,
a style that evades
all my many
modelling friends.

Alas! Such grace never

the catwalk sees.

a seductive sigh
sweeping her eyes
with a sip
the art of deliberate indifference
that dangles any man from the edge
Juliana knows her craft
and plays it well

He is in thrall
Bemused
Enchanted
Can this be happening?

Her eyes lazily sweep back
alighting the tip of his nose …

Provocative, tantalizing, alluring

and then for sheer devilment

luring him in.

Tonight 
I lounge,
You say ‘slouch’
so we will 
beg to differ, Sir!

Tomorrow I work.
Yes.

You seem surprised.
Ermmm?

Another sigh,
Another sip,
Another sweep
Let us dangle a little more
I do so like this indifference
Juliana purrs

She returns
Alighting his nose again

Sorry, you were saying, Sir?

I do beg your pardon

I say I do love the colour
of your sash

It is … … SO … … becoming

Yes
A Lady in Waiting
to Her Majesty The Queen

Oh?
You didn’t realise?
Oh?
You thought... ... ...

Juliana dangles and reels in
This, always, her favourite moment …

Shame on you
Your Excellency
I warrant you’re a flirt,
Sir!

No, of course, I won’t!

This is my, no, our little secret.
All of you here,
you may gaze
and desire… …
but participate?
Gracious No!

No. No. Why what
would you have me do?

I'm flattered of course,
sincerely so.
And I confess you’re an
awesome man. Sorry.
That always sounds
so, so awfully American!

No. Stunning!
Yes, stunning, so much
a better synonym
with which to clothe you, Sir

Oh yes, I know.
I do, too.
I always cringe
when His Excellency
rolls out in that droll tone
That’s arrrrsum!

He delights at the suddenness
of a flawless East high-American Accent
He dangles on the precipice

Pardon?

Your Excellency
we are both honourable!

Respectfully, Sir,
yours by appointment,
mine by birth.

Honourable
is not just my Title;
my character
and personality too.

He lets go
and lands hard,
angry,
dishevelled…

And I'm so sorry
you're disappointed

But a temptress?
No. Never!

Potiphar’s Wife?!?
Oh Your Excellency
You must differentiate
when a young lady plays 
a game with you, haha.

Juliana dangles him again,
and sips again,
and sweeps the gathering
and then returns,
and fixes his gaze …

You have clearly only recently
entered politics.
All those decades in opposition
have served you ill for sure.

There is such a thin line
between reality and jest ...

I was jesting!

Eve?
Gracious me!
Why No, 
Your Excellency!

I hinted an Egyptian 
but I could be Queen Esther
or I could be the 
drawn sword of
Judith
of Catholic fame?

Take a look at her portrait...
No. You should. Really.
When you are next time
visiting the Gallery.
Peer into her eyes 
and see my reflection.

I am not what you think.

… … then again, I might be.
Yes, I am Juliana...
but in no man’s land too!

Think that one through
and then come to my room.

(Oh what fun this is!
Why do men always leave themselves
wide open?)

entrée

Slight flutters
Ladies delicate fans
suddenly opened, all,
A croupier swish in reply
closed, instant, revealing
her beautiful smile
her head slightly bowed,
a swish again,
the fan raised,
a third swish
lowered and closed.

A gracious nod
not quite a bow,
a rippling that suggested
a ballerina’s curtsey to perfection
Exquisite,
the nape of her neck!

(He braced himself)

‘My Lady. How good
to see you again.
Your pearls are lovely.
If I may say so.’

A Princess of India,
an Ambassador’s Wife,
nods gracefully in reply
resplendent in National Dress;
the most exquisite form
the glories and wonders of the Orient,
at once alive,
the diamond on the forehead
the Indian High Commission bedazzling

The Princess acknowledges her husband’s smile
The pleading in his eyes
’please don’t be hard on me’
and radiates warmth and gentleness to him

Good evening Juliana,
Thank you. Yes, they are.
It is good to see you again.

Take my arm, and walk
with me on the terrace
while my husband,
His Excellency
talks business.

(whispering while smiling acknowledgements)

And Juliana
please don’t encourage him
to flirt with you.
I have known your ways.
You must not take advantage.
My husband can’t help it.
If he doesn’t,
he must needs contend with the goading
of my irritating brothers-in-law!

A swathe opens up
as this princess of India seems
almost to glide,
smiling in reply
to the prime minister and foreign secretary
gentle welcome by eyesight only

Now tell me
how things are
at Cambridge.

I was thrilled to 
receive your MaMa’s letter,
and soon we return
to Delhi,
and our friends
will want me to report in full
on your progress.

I hear many good things.

You have done well
my dear.’

19 December 2022
All Rights Reserved

© Kenneth Thomas Webb 2022-2023

Composed 12 June 2009 

Afterword

Written at the request of Liverpool artist Stephen Collett on 12 June 2009 when asked to pen thoughts that came to mind upon first seeing a canvas, and published by Spiderwize in Meanderings - An Anthology by I B Marshall in October 2011.

Collett has gone on to establish a worldwide standing for his work, and it is marvellous that it all started in Liverpool, a champion of the arts, music, literature and theatre. Juliana has always been a popular piece and was brought out from the archive on 18 July 2019. The name has been changed for family reasons. It is oh so easy to unwittingly deduce that two plus two equals five!

[1] The Biblical Joseph – Messianic

[2] referring to the Works of Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema

Now tell me
how things are
at Cambridge.

I was thrilled to 
receive your MaMa’s letter,
and soon we return
to Delhi,
and our friends
will want me to report
on your progress.

I hear many good things.
You have done well
my dear.’