Green
French source:
Paul Verlaine
Et puis voici mon cœur qui ne bat que pour vous:
Ne le déchirez pas avec vos deux mains blanches
Et qu’à vos yeux si beaux l’humble présent soit doux.
J’arrive, tout couvert encore de rosée
Que le vent du matin vient glacer à mon front.
Souffrez que ma fatigue, a vos pieds reposée,
Rêve des chers instants qui la délasseront.
Sur votre jeune sein, laissez rouler ma tête
Toute sonore encore de vos derniers baisers,
Laissez-la s’apaiser de la bonne tempête,
Et que je dorme un peu puisque vous reposez.
Here are flowers, branches, fruit and fronds
(1996)
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
And here too my heart that beats just for you.
Do not tear it with your two white hands
And may the humble gift please your lovely eyes.
I come all covered still with the dew
Frozen to my brow by the morning breeze.
Let my fatigue, finding rest at your feet,
Dream those dear moments that will give it peace.
On your young breast let me roll my head
Still ringing from your recent kisses;
After its sweet tumult grant it peace,
And let me sleep a while, since you rest.
Green
French source:
Paul Verlaine
Here are flowers, branches, fruit and fronds (1996)
English source:
Richard Stokes
Voici des fruits, des fleurs, des feuilles et des branches.
Here are flowers, branches, fruit and fronds,
Et puis voici mon cœur qui ne bat que pour vous:
And here too my heart that beats just for you.
Ne le déchirez pas avec vos deux mains blanches
Do not tear it with your two white hands
Et qu’à vos yeux si beaux l’humble présent soit doux.
And may the humble gift please your lovely eyes.
J’arrive, tout couvert encore de rosée
I come all covered still with the dew
Que le vent du matin vient glacer à mon front.
Frozen to my brow by the morning breeze.
Souffrez que ma fatigue, a vos pieds reposée,
Let my fatigue, finding rest at your feet,
Rêve des chers instants qui la délasseront.
Dream those dear moments that will give it peace.
Sur votre jeune sein, laissez rouler ma tête
On your young breast let me roll my head
Toute sonore encore de vos derniers baisers,
Still ringing from your recent kisses;
Laissez-la s’apaiser de la bonne tempête,
After its sweet tumult grant it peace,
Et que je dorme un peu puisque vous reposez.
And let me sleep a while, since you rest.
Composer
André Caplet
André Caplet was a French composer and conductor now known primarily through his orchestrations of works by Claude Debussy. Read more here.
Poet
Paul Verlaine
Paul-Marie Verlaine was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry. Born in Metz, Verlaine was educated at the Lycée Impérial…