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Les Comparaisons
French source: Pierre Louÿs

Bergeronnette, oiseau de Kypris, chante avec
nos premiers désirs! Le corps nouveau des
jeunes filles se couvre de fleurs comme la
terre. La nuit de tous nos rêves approche et
nous en parlons entre nous.
Parfois, nous comparons ensemble nos beautés
si différentes, nos chevelures déjà longues, nos
jeunes seins encore petits, nos pubertés rondes
comme des cailles et blotties sous la plume
naissante.
Hier je luttai de la sorte contre Melanthô, mon
aînée. Elle était fière de sa poitrine qui venait
de croître en un mois, et, montrant ma tunique
droite, elle m'avait appelée: Petite enfant.
Pas un homme ne pouvait nous voir, nous nous
mîmes nues devant les filles, et, si elle vainquit
sur un point, je l'emportait de loin sur les
autres. Bergeronnette, oiseau de Kypris, chante
avec nos premiers désirs!

The Comparisons
English translation © Carmella Cao

Wagtail, bird of Kypris, sing with our first
desires. The fresh body of young girls bloom
with flowers like the earth. The night of all our
dreams approaches and we speak of it between
us.
Sometimes, we compare together, our different
beauties, our already long hair, our young
breasts still small, our puberties round like
quails and nestled under the budding down.
Yesterday I fought in this way against
Melanthô, my elder. She was proud of her
chest that had grown in a month, and, pointing
out my straight tunic, she had called me: Little
child.
No man could see us, we placed ourselves
naked before the girls, and, if she conquered
upon one point, I far vanquished her on the
others. Wagtail, bird of Kypris, sing with our
first desires.

Les Comparaisons
French source: Pierre Louÿs

The Comparisons
English source: Carmella Cao

Bergeronnette, oiseau de Kypris, chante avec
Wagtail, bird of Kypris, sing with our first
nos premiers désirs! Le corps nouveau des
desires. The fresh body of young girls bloom
jeunes filles se couvre de fleurs comme la
with flowers like the earth. The night of all our
terre. La nuit de tous nos rêves approche et
dreams approaches and we speak of it between
nous en parlons entre nous.
us.
Parfois, nous comparons ensemble nos beautés
Sometimes, we compare together, our different
si différentes, nos chevelures déjà longues, nos
beauties, our already long hair, our young
jeunes seins encore petits, nos pubertés rondes
breasts still small, our puberties round like
comme des cailles et blotties sous la plume
quails and nestled under the budding down.
naissante.
Yesterday I fought in this way against
Hier je luttai de la sorte contre Melanthô, mon
Melanthô, my elder. She was proud of her
aînée. Elle était fière de sa poitrine qui venait
chest that had grown in a month, and, pointing
de croître en un mois, et, montrant ma tunique
out my straight tunic, she had called me: Little
droite, elle m'avait appelée: Petite enfant.
child.
Pas un homme ne pouvait nous voir, nous nous
No man could see us, we placed ourselves
mîmes nues devant les filles, et, si elle vainquit
naked before the girls, and, if she conquered
sur un point, je l'emportait de loin sur les
upon one point, I far vanquished her on the
autres. Bergeronnette, oiseau de Kypris, chante
others. Wagtail, bird of Kypris, sing with our
avec nos premiers désirs!
first desires.

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

Pierre Louÿs

Pierre Louÿs was a French poet and writer, best known for his classical themes and sensual style. Read more here.

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