translation/paraphrase by Thomas D, aka Uncle Meridian




Mirabeau by Guillaume Apollinaire

Under Mirabeau flows the Seine

With all our loves

Must I recall again

The cost of joy is pain

 

Now it's night     a bell tolls clear

Days go by     and I'm still here

 

Hand in hand face to face

Our arms a bridge       and down below

Eternal gazes flow

A wave so slow

 

Now it's night     a bell tolls clear

Days go by     and I'm still here

 

Love slips away as waters race

Love slips away

And Life goes on at a slow pace

And Hope shows a violent face

 

Now it's night     a bell tolls clear

Days go by     and I'm still here

 

Days still go       weeks still go

They won't come back

Our yesterdays       our loves       oh no

The Seine flows under Mirabeau

 

Now it's night     a bell tolls clear

Days go by     and I'm still here

 

+++++

 

Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine
           Et nos amours
     Faut-il qu'il m'en souvienne
La joie venait toujours après la peine

 

           Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure
           Les jours s'en vont je demeure

 

Les mains dans les mains restons face à face
           Tandis que sous
     Le pont de nos bras passe
Des éternels regards l'onde si lasse

 

           Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure
           Les jours s'en vont je demeure

 

L'amour s'en va comme cette eau courante
           L'amour s'en va
     Comme la vie est lente
Et comme l'Espérance est violente

 

           Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure
           Les jours s'en vont je demeure

 

Passent les jours et passent les semaines
           Ni temps passé
     Ni les amours reviennent
Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine

 

           Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure
           Les jours s'en vont je demeure

 

 





Poetry by Uncle Meridian The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 246 times
Written on 2023-05-10 at 20:24

dott Save as a bookmark (requires login)
dott Write a comment (requires login)
dott Send as email (requires login)
dott Print text


jim The PoetBay support member heart!
I appreciate this. I have not a read a word of M. Apollinaire until this. My french is more than rusty, your translation solves that problem. Thank you.
2023-05-12


Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
Nicely done, Thomas. Apparently, you're not the one you wrote about who was allergic to Apollinaire.
2023-05-10

Texts




Clear and Generous
by Uncle Meridian