Songs

Dans les ténèbres du jardin

by Francis Poulenc From La Fraîcheur et le Feu (1950) FP 147

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Text & Translation

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Dans les ténèbres du jardin
French source: Paul Éluard

Dans les ténèbres du jardin
Viennent des filles invisibles
Plus fine qu'à midi l'ondée
Mon sommeil les a pour amies
Elles m'enivrent en secret
De leurs complaisances aveugles.

Into the darkness of the garden
English translation © Richard Stokes

Into the darkness of the garden
Some invisible maidens enter
More delicate than the midday shower
My sleep has them for friends
They intoxicate me secretly
With their blind complaisance.

Translation © Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)

Dans les ténèbres du jardin
French source: Paul Éluard

Into the darkness of the garden
English source: Richard Stokes

Dans les ténèbres du jardin
Into the darkness of the garden
Viennent des filles invisibles
Some invisible maidens enter
Plus fine qu'à midi l'ondée
More delicate than the midday shower
Mon sommeil les a pour amies
My sleep has them for friends
Elles m'enivrent en secret
They intoxicate me secretly
De leurs complaisances aveugles.
With their blind complaisance.

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…

Poet

Paul Éluard

Paul Éluard was a French poet and one of the founders of the surrealist movement.

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