Songs

Tu me dirais que l'on entend le souffle,
Were you to tell me one can hear a butterfly
Qu'au sein des fleurs exhale un papillon,
Breathe at the heart of a flower,
Et que l'on a retrouvé la pantoufle
And that the slipper had been found
Qu'en s'enfuyant laissa choir Cendrillon.
That Cinderella dropped as she fled;

Tu me dirais que ces vers sont en prose,
Were you to tell me that this poem was prose,
Et qu'une femme a gardé des secrets,
And that a woman could keep a secret,
Que le lys parle et que l'azur est rose,
That a lily could speak and that blue was pink –
Vois ma folie, ami, je te croirais.
I would believe you, I love you so insanely.

Tu me dirais que l'astre qui scintille,
Were you to tell me that the glittering star
Au ver luisant doit son éclat joyeux,
Owes its joyous light to the glow-worm,
Et que la nuit accroche à sa mantille
And that night attaches to its veil
Comme un bijou le soleil radieux;
The radiant sun as a jewel;

Tu me dirais qu'il n'est plus une fraise
Were you to tell me that no strawberries were left
Dans les recoins tout moussus des forêts,
In the moss-covered recesses of the forests,
Et qu'une plume de bengali pèse
And that a Bengali feather weighs more
Plus qu'un chagrin au coeur, je te croirais.
Than a heavy heart – I would believe you.

En t'écoutant tous mes doutes d'eux-mêmes
Listening to you, all my doubts suddenly disperse
Tombent soudain, vaincus; tu me dirais
Of their own accord; were you to tell me
Que le bonheur existe et que tu m'aimes,
That happiness exists and that you love me –
Vois ma folie, ami, je te croirais!
See how madly I love you, I’d believe you!