Runner

A Villanelle

by Cristina Nehring (June 2025)

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My lovely girl, don’t run away;
Stay close as we wander the winding streets:
The world holds you cheap, no matter what I say.
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An extra chromosome is all it takes
For people to judge you less than their bland selves
My lovely girl, don’t run away.
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Should you disappear into the madding crowds,
Should you get lost in the fray,
The world holds you cheap, no matter what I say.
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An ice cream, a statue all serve to distract you,
To you, Parisian alleys are full of pearls,
My lovely girl don’t run away.
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Let’s walk hand in hand as far as we can go.
Let’s press each other’s palms as we pass through the town.
The world holds you cheap no matter what I say.
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Our adventures are not ending; they are only at the start:
We have miles to traverse, both near and far
My lovely girl, don’t run away.
The world holds you cheap no matter what I say.
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