La grande rivière qui va
French source:
Paul Éluard
Grande au soleil et petite à la lune
Par tous chemins à l'aventure
Ne m'aura pas pour la montrer du doigt
Je sais le sort de la lumière
J'en ai assez pour jouer son éclat
Pour me parfaire au dos de mes paupières
Pour que rien ne vive sans moi.
The great river that flows
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Vast beneath the sun and small beneath the moon
In all directions randomly
Will not have me to point it out
I know the spell of light
I've enough of it to play with its lustre
To perfect myself behind my eyelids
To ensure that nothing lives without me.
Translation © Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
La grande rivière qui va
French source:
Paul Éluard
The great river that flows
English source:
Richard Stokes
La grande rivière qui va
The great river that flows
Grande au soleil et petite à la lune
Vast beneath the sun and small beneath the moon
Par tous chemins à l'aventure
In all directions randomly
Ne m'aura pas pour la montrer du doigt
Will not have me to point it out
Je sais le sort de la lumière
I know the spell of light
J'en ai assez pour jouer son éclat
I've enough of it to play with its lustre
Pour me parfaire au dos de mes paupières
To perfect myself behind my eyelids
Pour que rien ne vive sans moi.
To ensure that nothing lives without me.
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.