Les lilas qui avaient fleuri
French source:
Francis Jammes
vont fleurir de nouveau dans les tristes parterres.
Déjà le pêcher grêle a jonché le ciel bleu
de ses roses, comme un enfant la Fête-Dieu.
Mon cœur devrait mourir au milieu de ces choses
car c’était au milieu des vergers blancs et roses
que j’avais espéré je ne sais quoi de vous.
Mon âme rêve sourdement sur vos genoux.
Ne la repoussez point. Ne la relevez pas
de peur qu’en s’éloignant de vous elle ne voie
combien vous êtes faible et troublée dans ses bras.
The lilacs which had flowered last year
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
shall flower again in melancholy beds.
Already the slender peach has strewn the blue sky
with its pinks, like a child at Corpus Christi.
My heart should die amid these things,
for it was amid the orchard’s whites and pinks
that I had hoped from you I know not what.
My soul dreams secretly upon your lap.
Do not reject it. Do not raise it up,
for fear that drawing away from you it might see
how frail you are and troubled in its arms.
Translation © Richard Stokes author of A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
Les lilas qui avaient fleuri
French source:
Francis Jammes
The lilacs which had flowered last year
English source:
Richard Stokes
Les lilas qui avaient fleuri l’année dernière
The lilacs which had flowered last year
vont fleurir de nouveau dans les tristes parterres.
shall flower again in melancholy beds.
Déjà le pêcher grêle a jonché le ciel bleu
Already the slender peach has strewn the blue sky
de ses roses, comme un enfant la Fête-Dieu.
with its pinks, like a child at Corpus Christi.
Mon cœur devrait mourir au milieu de ces choses
My heart should die amid these things,
car c’était au milieu des vergers blancs et roses
for it was amid the orchard’s whites and pinks
que j’avais espéré je ne sais quoi de vous.
that I had hoped from you I know not what.
Mon âme rêve sourdement sur vos genoux.
My soul dreams secretly upon your lap.
Ne la repoussez point. Ne la relevez pas
Do not reject it. Do not raise it up,
de peur qu’en s’éloignant de vous elle ne voie
for fear that drawing away from you it might see
combien vous êtes faible et troublée dans ses bras.
how frail you are and troubled in its arms.
Composer
Lili Boulanger
Lili Boulanger (1893-1918) is often described as one of the most gifted composers of the twentieth century, however, her promise was cut short by early death. She achieved a degree of posthumous renown which is exceptional among women…
