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The Greater Testament · 1878

Lay, or Rather Roundel

by François Villon 1431–after 1463

Translated by John Payne (1878; Mosher edition, 1909)


Death, of thy rigour I complain,
That hast my lady torn from me
And wilt not yet contented be,
Save from me too all strength be ta'en,
For languishment of heart and brain.
What harm did she in life to thee,
Death ?
One heart we had betwixt us twain ;
Which being dead, I too must dree
Death, or, like carven saints we see
In choir, sans life to live be fain,
Death !

MLA

Villon, François. The Greater Testament, Lay, or Rather Roundel. Translated by John Payne. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/work/greater-testament-payne/14/.

Chicago

Villon, François. The Greater Testament, Lay, or Rather Roundel. Translated by John Payne. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/work/greater-testament-payne/14/.

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