Air grave
French source:
Jean Moréas
malheureuses pensées!
O! colère, ô remords!
Souvenirs qui m’avez
les deux tempes pressées,
de l’étreinte des morts.
Sentiers de mousse pleins,
vaporeuses fontaines,
grottes profondes, voix
des oiseaux et du vent
lumières incertaines
des sauvages sous-bois.
Insectes, animaux,
Beauté future,
Ne me repousse pas
Ô divine nature,
Je suis ton suppliant
Ah! fuyez à présent,
colère, remords!
Grave Air
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Unhappy thoughts!
O anger! O remorse!
Memories that oppressed
My two temples
With the embrace of the dead.
Paths full of moss,
Vaporous fountains,
Deep grottoes, voices
Of birds and wind,
Fitful lights
Of the wild undergrowth.
Insects, animals,
Beauty to come –
Do not repulse me,
O divine nature,
I am your suppliant.
Ah! begone now,
Anger, remorse!
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
Air grave
French source:
Jean Moréas
Grave Air
English source:
Richard Stokes
Ah! fuyez à présent,
Ah! begone now,
malheureuses pensées!
Unhappy thoughts!
O! colère, ô remords!
O anger! O remorse!
Souvenirs qui m’avez
Memories that oppressed
les deux tempes pressées,
My two temples
de l’étreinte des morts.
With the embrace of the dead.
Sentiers de mousse pleins,
Paths full of moss,
vaporeuses fontaines,
Vaporous fountains,
grottes profondes, voix
Deep grottoes, voices
des oiseaux et du vent
Of birds and wind,
lumières incertaines
Fitful lights
des sauvages sous-bois.
Of the wild undergrowth.
Insectes, animaux,
Insects, animals,
Beauté future,
Beauty to come –
Ne me repousse pas
Do not repulse me,
Ô divine nature,
O divine nature,
Je suis ton suppliant
I am your suppliant.
Ah! fuyez à présent,
Ah! begone now,
colère, remords!
Anger, remorse!
Composer
Francis Poulenc
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (F7 January 1899 – 30 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include mélodies, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Read the full…
