Analysis of Le Testament: Ballade: A S'amye

François Villon 1431 (Paris) – 1463



F alse beauty that costs me so dear,
R ough indeed, a hypocrite sweetness,
A mor, like iron on the teeth and harder,
N amed only to achieve my sure distress,
C harm that's murderous, poor heart's death,
O covert pride that sends men to ruin,
I mplacable eyes, won't true redress
S uccour a poor man, without crushing?

M uch better elsewhere to search for
A id: it would have been more to my honour:
R etreat I must, and fly with dishonour,
T hough none else then would have cast a lure.
H elp me, help me, you greater and lesser!
E nd then? With not even one blow landing?
Or will Pity, in line with all I ask here,
Succour a poor man, without crushing?

That time will come that will surely wither
Your bright flower, it will wilt and yellow,
Then if I can grin, I'll call on laughter,
But, yet, that would be foolish though:
You'll be pale and ugly: and I'll be old,
Drink deep then, while the stream's still flowing:
And don't bring trouble on all men so,
Succour a poor man, without crushing.

Amorous Prince, the greatest lover,
I want no evil that's of your doing,
But, by God, all noble hearts must offer
To succour a poor man, without crushing.


Scheme axbcxxcd xaaxbdxD bebexdeD bdbd
Poetic Form
Metre 111011111 110101010 01110101010 11101011101 111100111 1101111110 1111101 110110110 11101111 0111111111 11110111 1111111101 11111110010 11111101110 11100111111 10110110 1111111010 1110111010 1111111110 11111101 1110100111 111101110 011101111 10110110 100101010 1111011110 1111101110 110110110
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,134
Words 221
Sentences 9
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8, 4
Lines Amount 28
Letters per line (avg) 31
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 219
Words per stanza (avg) 55
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 10, 2023

1:09 min read
73

François Villon

François Villon born in Paris in 1431 and disappeared from view in 1463, is the best known French poet of the late Middle Ages. more…

All François Villon poems | François Villon Books

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