J'ay perdu ma Tourterelle:  

   Est-ce point celle que j'oy?

Je veus aller aprés elle. 

   Tu regretes ta femelle, 

Helas! aussi fai-je moy, 

J'ay perdu ma Tourterelle. 

   Si ton Amour est fidelle, 

Aussi est ferme ma foy, 

Je veus aller aprés elle. 

   Ta plainte se renouvelle;

Tousjours plaindre je me doy: 

J'ay perdu ma Tourterelle. 

   En ne voyant plus la belle 

Plus rien de beau je ne voy:  

Je veus aller aprés elle. 

   Mort, que tant de fois j'appelle, 

Pren ce qui se donne à toy: 

J'ay perdu ma Tourterelle,  

Je veus aller aprés elle.  

Villanelle  

I have lost my dove:

Is it not her that I hear?

I want to go after her.

You miss your mate,

Alas! So do I,

I have lost my dove.

If your love is faithful,

So is my faith,

I want to go after her.

Your complaint renews itself;

I should always lament:

I have lost my dove.

No longer seeing the beautiful one,

I see nothing beautiful anymore:

I want to go after her.

Death, whom I have called so many times,

Take what is given to you:

I have lost my dove,

I want to go after her.

More information on Jean Passerat

The word "villanelle" originates from the Italian word "villanella," which referred to a rustic song or dance. The term itself is derived from "villano," meaning "peasant" or "countryman," which in turn comes from the Latin "villanus" (farmhand), related to "villa" (country house or farm).

Today, the "villanelle" is recognized as a fixed poetic form with 19 lines, consisting of five tercets followed by a quatrain. It has a strict pattern of repeated lines and a rhyme scheme (ABA ABA ABA ABA ABA ABAA), which gives it a distinctive and musical quality.

The development of the word "villanelle" from a rustic song "villanelle" to a structured poetic form underscores the fluid and dynamic nature of language and literary traditions.