A Verse for Napoleon by Pratim Datta

A Verse for Napoleon

Pratim Datta

On a day, year 69, 17 hundred,
Was born a petit Corsican, whom the world would dread!
20 years later when La Bastille fell,
Napoleon's star rose, First Republic served him well!

A general at 24, bless the siege of Toulon,
Robespierre’s blessing against the grand coalition;
Leading the charge of armée d’Italy,
Won Piedmont, Castilloni, and Rivoli!

Austrians did fold, to the Habsburgs he turned;
Léoben, Campo Formio, Bavaria burned.
Enveloping his enemies in sixty wars,
Pristine victories and Europe in scars!

Egypt was next, deprive Brits of trade!
Battle of the pyramids and Mamluks dead!
Napoleonic ambitions saw a dusk fall on dawn,
Trafalgar nemesis, Admiral Nelson!!

Returning to Paris as the first consul,
The republic gave France an emperor the rule!
From Amiens, Ulm, to Austerlitz,
La grandé armée crossed the Rhine in a Blitz!

1808 began the Russian March,
Berezina, Borodino, where winters are harsh,
In Leipzig cane his next big defeat,
Abdicated to Elba, in retreat.

Escape from Elba, did hundred days ensue,
Till Napoléon met Wellington at Waterloo!
1815 marked his final phase,
St Helena is where he spent his last days!

A flawed genius, extraordinaire,
Stills Holds his baton high for generals to dare!
In Gerone, Le jeune, and Louis David’s paint,
Vive la Napoleon, bravery will never taint!