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FRANCOIS VILLON, 1450, by             Poem Explanation     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: List, all that love light mirth, light tears


List, all that love light mirth, light tears , and all


That know the heart of shameful loves, or pure;
List, all that love light mirth, light tears, and all
That know delights depart, desires endure,
That know the heart of shameful loves, or pure;
A fevered tribe of ghosts funereal,
That know delights depart, desires endure,
Widowed of dead delights gone out of call;
A fevered tribe of ghosts funereal,
List, all that deem the glory of the rose
Widowed of dead delights gone out of call;
Is brief as last year's suns, or last year's snows
List, all that deem the glory of the rose
The new suns melt from off the sundial.
Is brief as last year's suns, or last year's snows

The new suns melt from off the sundial.

All this your master Villon knew and sung;
All this your master Villon knew and sung;
Despised delights, and faint foredone desire,
Despised delights, and faint foredone desire;
And shame, a deathless worm, a quenchless fire;
And shame, a deathless worm, a quenchless fire;
And laughter from the heart's last sorrow wrung,
And laughter from the heart's last sorrow wrung,
When half-repentance but makes evil whole,
When half-repentance but makes evil whole,
And prayer that cannot help wears out the soul.
And prayer that cannot help wears out the soul.








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