-1Disclaimer/Author's Note- After reading My Last Duchess by Robert Browning the first thing that came to mind was zutara. It was amazing how much the poem reminded me of the couple. So to get rid of the plot bunnies I basically copied the poem and changed a few words. I posted this poem to see if anybody agreed with me. I don't own My Last Duchess, Avatar the Last Airbender, or Robert Browning. This 'poem' is just a major copyright infraction.

My Last Queen

That's my last Queen painted on the wall,

Looking as if she were alive. I call

That piece a wonder, the Avatar's hands

Worked busily a moon, and there she stands.

Will't please you sit and look at her? I said

"the Avatar's" by design, for never read

Strangers like you that pictured countenance,

The depth and passion of its earnest glance,

But to myself they turned (since none puts by

The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)

And seemed as they would ask me, if they dared.

How such a glance came there; so, not the first

Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, 'twas not

Her husband's presence only, called that spot

Of pleasure into the Queen's eyes: perhaps

The Avatar chanced to say "Her silk laps

Over my lady's wrist too much," or "Oil

Must never hope to reproduce the faint

Glimmer that dies along her eyes"; such stuff

Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough

For calling up that spot of pleasure. She'd

A heart -how shall I say?- too soon made glad

Too easily impressed; she liked whate'er

She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.

Sir, 'twas all one! My favor at her breast,

The dropping of the daylight in the west,

The panda lily some officious fool

Broke in the dome for her, the white dragon

She rode with round the terrace - all and each

Would draw from her alike the approving cheer,

Or twinkle, at least. She thanked men - good! But

Somehow - I know not how - as if she ranked

My gift of a dynasty to follow

With anybody's gift. Who'd stoop to blame

This sort of trifling? Even had you skill

In speech - (which I had not) - to make your will

Quite clear to such an one, and say, "Just this

Or that in you disgusts me; here your miss,

Or there exceed the mark" - and if she let

Herself be lessened so, nor plainly set

Her wits to yours, in truth, and made excuse

- E'en then would be some stooping; and I choose

Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt,

Whene'er I passed her; but who passed without

Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;

Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands

As if alive. Will't please you rise? We'll meet

The company below, then. I repeat,

The Governor your master's known munificence

Is ample warrant that no one just pretense

Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;

Though his fair daughter's self, as I avowed

At starting, is my object. Nay, we'll go

Together down, sir! Notice Roku, though,

Taming the ruff seas, thought a rarity,

Which Mages of Fire cast in bronze for me!