by Ernest Christopher Dowson (1867 - 1900)
Villanelle of Marguerite's
Language: English
"A little, passionately, not at all?" She casts the snowy petals on the air: And what care we how many petals fall! Nay, wherefore seek the seasons to forestall? It is but playing, and she will not care, A little, passionately, not at all! She would not answer us if we should call Across the years: her visions are too fair; And what care we how many petals fall! She knows us not, nor recks if she enthrall With voice and eyes and fashion of her hair, A little, passionately, not at all! Knee-deep she goes in meadow grasses tall, Kissed by the daisies that her fingers tear: And what care we how many petals fall! We pass and go: but she shall not recall What men we were, nor all she made us bear: "A little, passionately, not at all!" And what care we how many petals fall!
First published in Temple Bar, May 1894, revised 1896.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Text Authorship:
- by Ernest Christopher Dowson (1867 - 1900), "Villanelle of Marguerite's" [author's text checked 1 time 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 Pamela Harrison (1915 - 1990), "Villanelle of Marguerite's" [ tenor and strings ], from Five Poems of Ernest Dowson  [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-04-24
Line count: 19
Word count: 149