Classic and Contemporary Poetry
VILLON IN PRISON, by HOWARD CHANDLER ROBBINS First Line: A word with thee, my friend o' the rusty keys! Last Line: How did the first line run? -- poor jehanne, poor jehanne! Subject(s): Prisons & Prisoners; Villon, Francois (1431-1463); Yale University | ||||||||
A WORD with thee, my friend o' the rusty keys! Didst think, perchance, I slept a moment since, So failed to note the fine, painstaking search Bestowed on my apparel; frayed, 'tis true, By over-frequent bouts with wind and worse, Yet whole enough to hide some paltry pence Whereof 'twere well to rid -- nay, spare excuse! My course were thine, had I been turnkey here And thou mad Villon, doomed to hang at noon, So making late amends to angry God And cheating hell fire yet, to quote the priest. But hear me out! The coins may still be thine, With blessings added, all for one poor sheet -- Mark me, I ask but one -- whereon to write Of pity and farewell; throw needful light On certain episodes for one who else -- Dost catch my drift? Girls' hearts are such frail things. Thanks, friend! There, keep the pence, and leave me now To make, as best I can, my peace with God And her, if that may be. Wide, smooth and white! So smooth! So white! So fit to charm the pen To facile rhyme! -- And leave poor Jehanne to starve Her heart out for the word that sets all right? No, never that, please God! -- But ah, those lines That raced like wildfire through my brain last night! Bright fugitives; if I could grasp them now, What golden worth might they not yield, what hope Of handing Villon's name to future years Blest, glorified, redeemed from sudden night By one triumphant burst of lyric dawn! How did the first line run? -- Poor Jehanne, poor Jehanne! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...BALLADE OF MYSELF AND MONSIEUR RABELAIS by LEONARD BACON (1887-1954) THE BALLADE OF THE GOLDEN HORN by LEONARD BACON (1887-1954) DEATH AND THE MONK by ARTHUR E. BAKER PASSIO XL MARTYRUM by ARTHUR E. BAKER THE LAST BALLADE; MASTER FRANCOIS VILLON LOQUITUR by THOMAS BEER WERE IT ONLY NOW by A. W. BELL AS FROM THE PAST -- by WILLIAM ROSE BENET THE LINE MEN by WILLIAM ROSE BENET |
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