Ici‑bas tous les lilas meurent
French source:
René-François Sully-Prudhomme
Tous les chants des oiseaux sont courts,
Je rêve aux étés qui demeurent
Toujours...
Ici-bas les lèvres effleurent
Sans rien laisser de leur velours,
Je rêve aux baisers qui demeurent
Toujours...
Ici-bas, tous les hommes pleurent
Leurs amitiés ou leurs amours;
Je rêve aux couples qui demeurent
Toujours...
In this world all the lilies die
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
All the songs of birds are short;
I dream of the summers that abide
Forever...
In this world lips brush but lightly,
And nothing of their velvet remains;
I dream of the kisses that abide
Forever...
In this world every man is mourning
His friendships or his loves;
I dream of the couples who abide
Forever...
Ici‑bas tous les lilas meurent
French source:
René-François Sully-Prudhomme
In this world all the lilies die
English source:
Richard Stokes
Ici-bas tous les lilas meurent,
In this world all the lilies die,
Tous les chants des oiseaux sont courts,
All the songs of birds are short;
Je rêve aux étés qui demeurent
I dream of the summers that abide
Toujours...
Forever...
Ici-bas les lèvres effleurent
In this world lips brush but lightly,
Sans rien laisser de leur velours,
And nothing of their velvet remains;
Je rêve aux baisers qui demeurent
I dream of the kisses that abide
Toujours...
Forever...
Ici-bas, tous les hommes pleurent
In this world every man is mourning
Leurs amitiés ou leurs amours;
His friendships or his loves;
Je rêve aux couples qui demeurent
I dream of the couples who abide
Toujours...
Forever...
Composer
Pauline Viardot
Pauline Viardot, née Garcia (1821-1910) was one of the most remarkable, accomplished musical professionals of the 19th century. Born into a family of music professionals, she wanted to be a pianist, but following the early death of her sister…
Poet
René-François Sully-Prudhomme
René François Armand (Sully) Prudhomme was a French poet and essayist, and was the first ever winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1901. Born in Paris, Prudhomme originally studied to be an engineer, but turned to philosophy and later to…