Songs

Songe

by Mel (Mélanie) Bonis

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'Songe'. Recorded by TallWall Media. 

Text & Translation

Songe
French source: Maurice Bouchor

Guidé par de beaux yeux candides,
Dans ma barque féerique aux reflets d'argent fin,
Vers l'amour, je voudrais faire voile sans fin
Sur des rêves bleus et splendides,

Vers l'amour dont le souffle frais
Berce des champs de fleurs dans une île enchantée
Et qui, pour apaiser mon âme tourmentée,
M'ouvrira de saintes forêts.

Et plus tard, quand, loin de la terre,
O Viola! guérie des brûlantes langueurs,
Nous irons caresser les songes de nos cœurs
Dans l'île heureuse du mystère.

Dans le libre ciel des esprits,
Quand nous aurons quitté la nature mortelle,
Ne goûterons-nous pas une paix éternelle?
Rêveusement, tu me souris.

Song
English translation © Richard Stokes

Led by beautiful artless eyes,
in my fairy boat with a fine silver gleam,
towards love, I would like to sail without end
on blue and wondrous dreams,

Towards love whose sweet breath
sways the fields of flowers on an enchanted isle
and who, to ease my tormented soul,
will open sacred forests to me.

And later, when, far from land,
O Viola! healed from burning lassitude,
we will go to nurture the dreams of our hearts
on the happy island of mystery.

In the unbound sky of the spirits,
when we have left our mortal state,
shall we not taste an eternal peace?
Dreamily, you smile at me.

Songe
French source: Maurice Bouchor

Song
English source: Richard Stokes

Guidé par de beaux yeux candides,
Led by beautiful artless eyes,
Dans ma barque féerique aux reflets d'argent fin,
in my fairy boat with a fine silver gleam,
Vers l'amour, je voudrais faire voile sans fin
towards love, I would like to sail without end
Sur des rêves bleus et splendides,
on blue and wondrous dreams,

Vers l'amour dont le souffle frais
Towards love whose sweet breath
Berce des champs de fleurs dans une île enchantée
sways the fields of flowers on an enchanted isle
Et qui, pour apaiser mon âme tourmentée,
and who, to ease my tormented soul,
M'ouvrira de saintes forêts.
will open sacred forests to me.

Et plus tard, quand, loin de la terre,
And later, when, far from land,
O Viola! guérie des brûlantes langueurs,
O Viola! healed from burning lassitude,
Nous irons caresser les songes de nos cœurs
we will go to nurture the dreams of our hearts
Dans l'île heureuse du mystère.
on the happy island of mystery.

Dans le libre ciel des esprits,
In the unbound sky of the spirits,
Quand nous aurons quitté la nature mortelle,
when we have left our mortal state,
Ne goûterons-nous pas une paix éternelle?
shall we not taste an eternal peace?
Rêveusement, tu me souris.
Dreamily, you smile at me.

Composer

Mel (Mélanie) Bonis

Where can I listen to Mel Bonis's songs? Mel Bonis is a featured composer on 'Compositrices: New Light on French Romantic Women Composers', released in 2023. Listen here on Spotify. 'Songe'. Recorded by TallWall Media. 

Poet

Maurice Bouchor

Maurice Bouchor was a French poet.

Performances

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