Sur l'herbe
French source:
Paul Verlaine
Tu mets de travers ta perruque.
—Ce vieux vin de Chypre est exquis
Moins, Camargo, que votre nuque.
—Ma flamme … Do, mi, sol, la, si.
L’abbé, ta noirceur se dévoile!
—Que je meure, Mesdames, si
Je ne vous décroche une étoile!
—Je voudrais être petit chien!
—Embrassons nos bergères, l’une
Après l’autre.—Messieurs, eh bien?
—Do, mi, sol.—Hé! bonsoir, la Lune!
On the grass
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
You’ve got your wig on all askew.’
‘This old Cyprus wine’s exquisite,
But less so, Carmargo, than the nape of your neck.’
‘My love …’—‘Do, mi, so, la, ti.
Abbot, you’re baring your base soul!’
‘May I die, ladies, if
I don’t detach a spangle from your hair!’
‘I’d like to be a little dog!’
‘Let’s kiss our shepherdesses, one
By one.’ ‘Well, gentlemen?’
‘Do, mi, sol.’ ‘Hey! Good eveing, Moon!’
Sur l'herbe
French source:
Paul Verlaine
On the grass
English source:
Richard Stokes
L’abbé divague.—Et toi, marquis,
The abbot rambles on.—‘And you, Marquis,
Tu mets de travers ta perruque.
You’ve got your wig on all askew.’
—Ce vieux vin de Chypre est exquis
‘This old Cyprus wine’s exquisite,
Moins, Camargo, que votre nuque.
But less so, Carmargo, than the nape of your neck.’
—Ma flamme … Do, mi, sol, la, si.
‘My love …’—‘Do, mi, so, la, ti.
L’abbé, ta noirceur se dévoile!
Abbot, you’re baring your base soul!’
—Que je meure, Mesdames, si
‘May I die, ladies, if
Je ne vous décroche une étoile!
I don’t detach a spangle from your hair!’
—Je voudrais être petit chien!
‘I’d like to be a little dog!’
—Embrassons nos bergères, l’une
‘Let’s kiss our shepherdesses, one
Après l’autre.—Messieurs, eh bien?
By one.’ ‘Well, gentlemen?’
—Do, mi, sol.—Hé! bonsoir, la Lune!
‘Do, mi, sol.’ ‘Hey! Good eveing, Moon!’
Composer
Maurice Ravel
Joseph Maurice Ravel was a French composer, pianist and conductor. In the 1920s and 1930s he was internationally regarded as France's greatest living composer. He was one of the first composers to acknowledge the potential of recording in making…
Poet
Paul Verlaine
Paul-Marie Verlaine was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry. Born in Metz, Verlaine was educated at the Lycée Impérial…