notapipe @ August 12 2003, 01:15:27 UTC If I could tell you I would let you know.

W.H. Auden Villanelle again. I still think it's for Remus. For the lazy, here is the complete text of the poem:

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 reasons 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 stay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

Suppose the lions all get up and go,
And all the brooks and soldiers run away?
Will time say nothing but I told you so?
If I could tell you I would let you know.

-- W. H. Auden

imochan @ August 12 2003, 09:53:53 UTC Re: If I could tell you I would let you know.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so dead from wibblysquee right now, it's not even funny.

anjenue @ August 12 2003, 01:16:08 UTC

*sobs*

I love Severus. I love Remus. I love Sirius.

TOO MUCH ANGST!!! *beats head on wall*

eponis @ August 12 2003, 02:01:24 UTC

I can't express how much this entry scares me. This is Snape, and this is the most emotional that we've seen him . . . possibly ever, and certainly in a long, long while. "Pensive" is his new mood icon (and it's so damn sad), and I'm not sure why he posted this - because he's upset for Lupin, because he visited Lupin, because something happened between them . . .

Also, he even posted it to N_A, not his own journal. Why?

This marks a change, but I'm frightened about what it could be.

eponis @ August 12 2003, 02:36:26 UTC

Well, that's one possibility taken away: given that Snape is "five thousand miles away," he presumably isn't referring to actually visiting Lupin. Which makes me wonder what prompted this unusual display - surely it's not just all the bickering between him and Sirius.

anjenue @ August 12 2003, 03:34:02 UTC

I think all the bickering between him and Sirius is actually inspired by the fact that he's worried about Remus, not the other way around.

Especially all the bickering on Sirius's Q&A.

*sniffles*

notapipe @ August 12 2003, 02:42:36 UTC

It's certianly one of the saddest ones I've read in a while. And that's saying something, given the way N_A has been going.

I think it's in N_A so Lupin can read it, it's the same poem he (and Remus) used before. I'm not sure exactly what Snape is trying to say, but I think he's very worried about Remus, and about Remus's happiness. It's, at best, a very poignant friendship. I hope, for Snape's sake, it's only that.

snowballjane @ August 12 2003, 04:44:52 UTC

I'm not sure exactly what Snape is trying to say

At a guess, something like: "Get on with it and sort things out. Now."

After all, Auden's playing with "time will tell" and sort of saying that if you just wait for it to tell, it will only tell you that you waited.

So, if two people just wait for each other to apologise they'll never work out their problems.

Anonymous @ August 12 2003, 10:54:04 UTC

Or, it very well could have nothing to do with Sirius at all.

Though perhaps I am reading the poem differently than everyone else.

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