Songs

La sauterelle, 'The grasshopper'

by Francis Poulenc From Le Bestiaire (1919) FP 15a

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Text & Translation

View IPA

La sauterelle, 'The grasshopper'
French source: Guillaume Apollinaire

Voici la fine sauterelle
La nourriture de Saint Jean
Puissent mes vers être comme elle
Le régal des meilleures gens.

The grasshopper
English translation © Richard Stokes

Behold the delicate grasshopper,
The food Saint John was wont to eat.
May my verses likewise be
A feast for the elite.

La sauterelle, 'The grasshopper'
French source: Guillaume Apollinaire

The grasshopper
English source: Richard Stokes

Voici la fine sauterelle
Behold the delicate grasshopper,
La nourriture de Saint Jean
The food Saint John was wont to eat.
Puissent mes vers être comme elle
May my verses likewise be
Le régal des meilleures gens.
A feast for the elite.

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

Guillaume Apollinaire

Guillaume Apollinaire  (26 August 1880 – 9 November 1918) was a French poet, playwright, short story writer, novelist, and art critic of Polish-Belarusian descent. Apollinaire is considered one of the foremost poets of the early 20th century, as…

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