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<ins class="caption">VILLON</ins> <div class="figright"> <ANTIMG src="images/i_026.jpg" height-obs="640" width-obs="235" alt="Villon reading a ballad." /></div> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> Villon—bard of the early times, Familiarly called Francois— 'Twas he who juggled so with rhymes That we regard him now with awe; His Pegasus knew "Gee" from "Haw". He drove with all a jockey's art And ran each race without a flaw— Villon gave these ballades their start. </div> <div class="stanza"> Must he flee to some safer climes? Did hunger at his vitals gnaw? Or was he jailed for varied crimes? In that he inspiration saw And, pen held in a grimy paw Would let his flashing fancy dart Ofttimes in measures rather raw— Villon gave these ballades their start. </div> <div class="stanza"> His purse was ever bare of dimes; He often felt the grip of law; Yet he, the jolliest of mimes, Who slept most nights upon the straw And wakened to the raucous caw Of ravens, never shirked his part; He never stopped at fate to jaw— Villon gave these ballades their start. </div> <div class="stanza"> L'ENVOI </div> <div class="stanza"> Princess, the moral's here to draw: When poets go into the mart The editors say coldly: "Pshaw! Villon gave these ballades their start." </div> </div> <div style="clear: both;"></div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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