Luis d'Antin van Rooten (1906-1973) No.13: "L'île déjà accornée . . ."

d'Antin's verse: L'île déjà accornée . . .1 Satinées cornée . . .2 Y dîner guérisse masse bâille . . .3 Il se taquine costumes4 Et ne poule d'août des plumes5 Et ne ses doigts des gouttes beaux émaille.6

"strangely familiar" homophone:

L. d'A. van Rooten's illuminating notes: 1.  The (Lord of the ) island already has horns. This would seem to be a rehash of the old Tristram and Iseult legend; however, it is so fragmentary that positive identification is impossible. 2.  "Satiny corneas" for "velvet eyes," obviously a partial description of the lady in the case. 3.  Yawns help digest a heavy dinner: A thumbnail sketch of the dull, lethargic husband. 4.  He was teased about his clothes. He was not only dull, he was sloppy and inelegant. 5.  He looked like a moulting chicken in August. 6.  She wore nail polish! An interesting revelation of the antiquity of cosmetics. The Egyptians used enamel-like paints; the Chinese, jeweled guards. The timeless universality of nail decoration, alas, gives us no clue as to the possible date of these verses.

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