Thread: Ernest Dowson
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Unread 04-04-2001, 08:21 AM
Golias Golias is offline
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Location: Lewisburg, PA, USA
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One very thin volume contains all his published poems and stories, the latter being perhaps better, artistically, than many of the former. He was a true romantic, throwing away his genius and his life over disappointment in love.

Other titles are quoted from the posted poem, of course, including "gone with the wind" and "the night is thine."

After Cynara, his most famous lines are doubtless these:

THEY are not long, the weeping and the laughter,
Love and desire and hate:
I think they have no portion in us after
We pass the gate.

They are not long, the days of wine and roses:
Out of a misty dream
Our path emerges for a while, then closes
Within a dream.

He made several valiant attempts at the villanelle, never really succeeding (as nobody has, to perfection, in English). Here's one:

WINE and woman and song,
Three things garnish our way:
Yet is day over long.

Lest we do our youth wrong,
Gather them while we may:
Wine and woman and song.

Three things render us strong,
Vine leaves, kisses and bay;
Yet is day over long.

Unto us they belong,
Us the bitter and gay,
Wine and woman and song.

We, as we pass along,
Are sad that they will not stay;
Yet is day over long.

Fruits and flowers among,
What is better than they:
Wine and woman and song?
Yet is day over long.



[This message has been edited by Golias (edited April 04, 2001).]
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