by
Stéphen Liégeard (1830 - 1925)
L'automne
Language: French (Français)
Available translation(s): ENG
Par les ceps déjà noirs la grive a pris carrière;
Octobre, sur les bois, jette son manteau d’or…
Des ans amoncelés contemplant la barrière,
Eux songent qu’au delà gît leur plus doux trésor.
Ils ont risqué ce soir un coup d’aile en arrière;
Le regret les tenait du printanier essor:
Tous deux veulent savoir, errant sous la clairière,
Si l’écho dit «toujours» et si l’eau coule encor.
Et le ruisseau joyeux reflète leur image…
«Amour, vois ce miroir, comme il te rend hommage!”»
«J’y vois la neige, ami… plus de tendres aveux!»
Mais lui, dans un baiser qu’un pleur de ses yeux mouille:
«Va, ce sont fils d’argent tombés de sa quenouille
Que la Vierge a laissés tantôt sur tes cheveux!»
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Garrett Medlock) , "Autumn", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Garrett Medlock
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2019-01-17
Line count: 14
Word count: 121
Autumn
Language: English  after the French (Français)
By the vines already black the thrush has taken quarry;
October, upon the woods, throws its coat of gold…
Heaped up years gazing upon the gate,
They dream that beyond lies their sweetest treasure.
They have risked this evening a backward wingbeat;
Regret kept them from the springtime flight:
Both want to know, wandering under the clearing,
If the echo says “always” and if the water flows still.
And the joyful stream reflects their image…
“Love, look [into] this mirror, how it does you homage!”
“I see there snow, lover… no more tender professions!”
But he, in a kiss that a tear from his eye wets:
“Go, these are silver threads fallen from [the] distaff
That the Virgin has left at times upon your hair!”
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2019 by Garrett Medlock, (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:
This text was added to the website: 2019-01-16
Line count: 14
Word count: 125