To Madame M

Poem by Alfred De Musset Collection Early PoemsPeriod 19th century

You send me, beautiful Emilie,
A note quite snugly wrapped;
Your discreet and courteous hand
Has carefully sealed it.
But the alms are a little light,
And despite its dexterity,
This hand is very thrifty
In its acts of charity.
It is watching the expense
If your offering is a payment,
And if it is a reward,
You had no need of money.
In the future, beautiful Emilie,
If your heart is generous,
To poor folk, I beg you,
Give alms with your eyes.
When you find merit,
And when you wish to pay for it,
Remember Marguerite
And the poet Alain Chartier
He was very ugly, says history,
The lady was a king’s daughter;
I am quite obliged to believe
That he wrote verses better than I.
But if my pen is worth little,
My heart, alas! is worth no more;
Even if it were for prose,
Your gifts are too dangerous.
May your timid charity
Keep its silver and its gold,
For in opening your empty hand
You can give a treasure.

Alfred De Musset

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