Hector Panizza En Sourdine / Silently

In Classics, Songs, Songs in French by Vogler & LindqvistLeave a Comment

En sourdine  lyrics by Paul Verlaine

Calmes dans le demi-jour
Que les branches hautes font,
Pénétrons bien notre amour
De ce silence profond.

Fondons nos âmes, nos cœurs
Et nos sens extasiés,
Parmi les vagues langueurs
Des pins et des arbousiers.

Ferme tes yeux à demi,
Croise tes bras sur ton sein,
Et de ton cœur endormi
Chasse à jamais tout dessein.

Laissons-nous persuader
Au souffle berceur et doux
Qui vient, à tes pieds, rider
Les ondes des gazons roux.

Et quand, solennel, le soir
Des chênes noirs tombera
Voix de notre désespoir,
Le rossignol chantera.

Softly, translation by Hélène Lindqvist

Calm in the half-shade
of high branches
Let us penetrate our love
With this profound silence.

Let’s unite our hearts, our souls,
and our senses in ecstasy
Among the vague dreaminess
of the pines and the strawberry trees*

Half-close your eyes,
Fold your arms across your breast
And from your sleeping heart
Chase forever away all intention

Let us be persuaded
By the gentle, rocking wind,
That comes, to your feet, to ripple
The waves of red grass

And when, solemnly, the evening
Will fall from the black oaks
Voice of our desperation,
The nightingale will sing

 

* Here’s a picture of a Strawberry Tree:

Arbutusunedo02

Learn about Hector Panizza here.

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