Poem of the Day

Ballade Des Dames De Temps Jadis (Ballad Of The Ladies Of Yore) by François Villon

Original French Dictes moy ou, n'en quel pays, Est Flora la belle Rommaine, Archipiades ne Thaïs, Qui fut sa cousine germaine, Echo parlant quant bruyt on maine Dessus riviere ou sus estan, Qui beaulté ot trop plus q'humaine. Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan? Ou est la tres sage Helloïs, Pour qui chastré fut et puis moyne Pierre Esbaillart a Saint Denis? Pour son amour ot ceste essoyne. Semblablement, ou est la royne Qui commanda que Buridan Fust geté en ung sac en Saine? Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan? La royne Blanche comme lis Qui chantoit a voix de seraine, Berte au grand pié, Beatris, Alis, Haremburgis qui tint le Maine, Et Jehanne la bonne Lorraine Qu'Englois brulerent a Rouan; Ou sont ilz, ou, Vierge souvraine? Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan? Prince, n'enquerez de sepmaine Ou elles sont, ne de cest an, Qu'a ce reffrain ne vous remaine: Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan? English Translation Ballad Of The Ladies Of Yore Tell me where, in what country, Is Flora the beautiful Roman, Archipiada or Thais Who was first cousin to her once, Echo who speaks when there's a sound On a pond or a river Whose beauty was more than human? But where are the snows of yesteryear? Where is the leamed Heloise For whom they castrated Pierre Abelard And made him a monk at Saint-Denis, For his love he took this pain, Likewise where is the queen Who commanded that Buridan Be thrown in a sack into the Seine? But where are the snows of yesteryear? The queen white as a lily Who sang with a siren's voice, Big-footed Bertha, Beatrice, Alice, Haremburgis who held Maine And Jeanne the good maid of Lorraine Whom the English bumt at Rouen, where, Where are they, sovereign Virgin? But where are the snows of yesteryear? Prince, don't ask me in a week or in a year what place they are; I can only give you this refrain: Where are the snows of yesteryear?