Welcome back to the Daily Poem here in the Close Reeds Podcast Network. I'm David Kern. I want to

quickly apologize for the quality of this episode. I did not have access to the studio when I recorded,

so I don't have the good mics, but I wanted to get you a poem anyway. Today is Friday, February 22nd, and yesterday was the

day that W.H. Auden was born. He was born on February 21st, 1907. So I thought it seemed like

the right time to share with you another Auden poem. I believe I've read three other poems by

Auden on this podcast. And the one that I'm

going to share with you today is a Villanelle called, If I Could Tell You, it was written around

1940 during the early years of World War II. And I mentioned that it's a Villanelle because I think

that that's important given the themes of this poem, and I'll talk about why in a few minutes.

But first, here is W.H. Audens, if I could tell you.

Time will say nothing, but I told you so. Time only knows the price we have to pay.

If I could tell you, I would let you know.

If we should weep when clowns put on their show, if we should stumble when musicians play,

time will say nothing, but I told you so.

There are no fortunes to be told, although because I love you more than I can say, if I could tell you, I would let you know.

The winds must come from somewhere when they blow.

There must be reason why the leaves decay.

Time will say nothing, but I told you so.

Perhaps the roses really want to grow. "'The vision seriously intends to say,

"'If I could tell you, I would let you know.

"'Suppose the lions all get up and go,

"'and the brooks and soldiers run away.

...