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by Ernest Christopher Dowson (1867 - 1900)

Yvonne of Brittany
Language: English 
In your mother's apple-orchard,
 Just a year ago, last spring:
Do you remember, Yvonne!
 The dear trees lavishing
Rain of their starry blossoms
 To make you a coronet?
Do you ever remember, Yvonne?
 As I remember yet.

In your mother's apple-orchard,
 When the world was left behind:
You were shy, so shy, Yvonne!
 But your eyes were calm and kind.
We spoke of the apple harvest,
 When the cider press is set,
And such-like trifles, Yvonne!
 That doubtless you forget.

In the still, soft Breton twilight,
 We were silent; words were few,
Till your mother came out chiding,
 For the grass was bright with dew:
But I know your heart was beating,
 Like a fluttered, frightened dove.
Do you ever remember, Yvonne?
 That first faint flush of love?

In the fulness of midsummer,
 When the apple-bloom was shed,
Oh, brave was your surrender,
 Though shy the words you said.
I was glad, so glad, Yvonne!
 To have led you home at last;
Do you ever remember, Yvonne!
 How swiftly the days passed?

In your mother's apple-orchard
 It is grown too dark to stray,
There is none to chide you, Yvonne!
 You are over far away.
There is dew on your grave grass, Yvonne!
 But your feet it shall not wet:
No, you never remember, Yvonne!
 And I shall soon forget.

Confirmed with Ernest Dowson, Verses, London: Leonard Smithers, 1896, pages 11-12. Dedicated to Marmaduke Langdale.


Text Authorship:

  • by Ernest Christopher Dowson (1867 - 1900), "Yvonne of Brittany", appears in Verses, London, Leonard Smithers, first published 1896 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Cyril Meir Scott (1879 - 1970), "Yvonne of Brittany", op. 5 (Two Songs) no. 2 (c1899?), published 1903 [ voice and piano ], London : Boosey & Hawkes [sung text not yet checked]

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2010-04-24
Line count: 40
Word count: 220

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