THE POEMS OF ERNEST DOWSON



TO MISSIE (A. P.)




IN PREFACE: FOR ADELAIDE


To you, who are my verses, as on some very future day, if you ever care
to read them, you will understand, would it not be somewhat trivial to
dedicate any one verse, as I may do, in all humility, to my friends?
Trivial, too, perhaps, only to name you even here? Trivial, presumptuous?
For I need not write your name for you at least to know that this and all
my work is made for you in the first place, and I need not to be reminded
by my critics that I have no silver tongue such as were fit to praise you.
So for once you shall go indedicate, if not quite anonymous; and I will
only commend my little book to you in sentences far beyond my poor compass
which will help you perhaps to be kind to it:

"_Votre personne, vos moindres mouvements me semblaient avoir dans le monde
une importance extrahumaine. Mon coeur comme de la poussiere se soulevait
derriere vos pas. Vous me faisiez l'effet d'un clair-de-lune par une nuit
d'ete, quand tout est parfums, ombres douces, blancheurs, infini; et les
delices de la chair et de l'ame etaient contenues pour moi dans votre nom
que je me repetais en tachant de le baiser sur mes levres.