Songs

Green

by Claude Debussy From Ariettes oubliées (1885) L60 1885-1887

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Text & Translation

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Green
French source: Paul Verlaine

Voici des fruits, des fleurs, des feuilles et des branches
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 à 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.

Green
English translation © Richard Stokes

Here are flowers, branches, fruit, and fronds,
And here too is 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 of dear moments that will soothe it.

On your young breast let me cradle my head
Still ringing with your recent kisses;
After love’s sweet tumult grant it peace,
And let me sleep a while, since you rest.

Green
French source: Paul Verlaine

Green
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 is 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 à vos pieds reposée
Let my fatigue, finding rest at your feet,
Rêve des chers instants qui la délasseront.
Dream of dear moments that will soothe it.

Sur votre jeune sein laissez rouler ma tête
On your young breast let me cradle my head
Toute sonore encore de vos derniers baisers;
Still ringing with your recent kisses;
Laissez-la s’apaiser de la bonne tempête,
After love’s sweet tumult grant it peace,
Et que je dorme un peu puisque vous reposez.
And let me sleep a while, since you rest.

Composer

Claude Debussy

(Achille) Claude Debussy was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Please click…

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…

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