Opéra Candélabre

Opéra Candélabre Á 5 Branchen En Bronze

Decorative arms of a floral design

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The opera house, Opéra Garnier, at Place de l’Opéra

In the 9th arrondisment in Paris, built in the Napoleonic style,

At the Pavilion de l”Empereur, with Gumery’s gilt-copper statue,

L’Harmonie overlooking the court, from the left Avant Garde

Of the opera house façade, Apollo, Poetry and Music,

A roof sculpture by Aimé Millet, The Dance, Jean Baptist Carpeaux,

Bronze busts of Beethoven and Mozart on Avenue de l’Opéra,

And a dozen bronze ornamental branched gas-lamps

With five lanterns, designed by Jean-Louis Charles Garnier.

Metal crowns on top of larger crowns with rounded glass globes,

One in the middle and four arms below, in each compass direction,

Contain gas-jets unlit, a public-light to brighten the pavilion.

Fastened to the cast-iron post, decorative arms of a floral design,

Leaves abounding, curves unfolding, holding up the lamps. Leafy

Climbing plants clutch a bundle of bronze rods together,

A bowl with shields for decoration, holds up the large support.

When the lamps are lighted, gas burns noisily, and intensely.

Gas is shut off this time of day, flames extinguished before dawn.

The streets at the opera house are wet this morning, and no doubt

Cold. Across the avenue from where the grand street-lamps stand,

A wooden wagon pulled by a horse wearing a blanket, with a full load

Of coal to be delivered, parked at the curb in front of a kiosk,

And the closed news-stand. All the businesses on the ground floor are

Closed, except for a tavern door that remains open this time of day.

Six bare trees are waiting for an early arrival of spring.

The windows behind the ornate grillwork of the five-story apartments

Are silent and dreaming. Curtains drawn, blinds pulled down.

By Stephen Barile

From: United States