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Mon œil, sur le cadran toujours fixé, calcule Quand l'heure au pas boiteux qui s'endort en chemin, Posant son doigt d'acier sur le chiffre romain, Fera chanter le timbre au cœur de la pendule. Le balancier palpite et l'aiguille circule, Mais le jour ne vient pas ! -- Une invisible main Arrête le marteau qui sonnera demain ; Sur sa route d'émail le Temps bronche et recule. Il n'en est pas ainsi quand je suis près de vous : Je m'assieds à vos pieds, j'embrasse vos genoux, Je mire mes yeux noirs dans vos blondes prunelles. Votre main sur mon front, vous me dites des mots Que personne ne sait, pour endormir mes maux ; -- L'heure devient minute et fuit à tire d'ailes !
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872), "Sonnet", appears in Poésies diverses, poésies nouvelles et inédites, poésies posthumes, in Poésies nouvelles, inédites et posthumes 1831-1872 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Jacques Dupont, dit Jacque-Dupont (1906 - 1985), "Sonnet", op. 12 no. 4 (1934) [ soprano and piano ], from Six Poèmes de Théophile Gautier pour soprano et piano, no. 4, Paris, J. Hamelle [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jacques Dupont, dit Jacque-Dupont (1906 - 1985), "Sonnet", op. 45 no. 1 [ soprano and piano ], from Trois mélodies, no. 1, Paris, J. Hamelle [sung text not yet checked]
- by Stéphane Gassot (b. 1987), "Sonnet", subtitle: "Mélodie française", 2013 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Théodore Lambert (b. 1990), "Mon œil sur le cadran", 2013 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Philippe Perrin (b. 1993), "Mon œil, sur le cadran", 2013 [ medium voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2013-04-12
Line count: 14
Word count: 123
My eye, always fixed on the clock-face, calculates when the limping hour (which dozes off en route), places a steel finger on the roman numeral, and sets the bell singing inside in the clock. The balance-wheel quivers and the clock-hand turns, but the day does not come! - an invisible force stops the hammer that will sound out the new day; Time on its enamel path reacts and steps backwards. It is not like that when I am close to you: I sit at your feet, I kiss your knees, I see my dark eyes reflected in your fair pupils. With your hand on my forehead, you tell me words that nobody knows, to silence my woes; - The hour becomes a minute, and flies quickly.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2022 by Peter Low, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872), "Sonnet", appears in Poésies diverses, poésies nouvelles et inédites, poésies posthumes, in Poésies nouvelles, inédites et posthumes 1831-1872
This text was added to the website: 2022-12-12
Line count: 14
Word count: 126