Parfum exotique

Quand, les deux yeux fermés, en un soir chaud d'automne, 
Je respire l'odeur de ton sein chaleureux, 
Je vois se dérouler des rivages heureux 
Qu'éblouissent les feux d'un soleil monotone; 

Une île paresseuse où la nature donne 
Des arbres singuliers et des fruits savoureux 
Des hommes dont le corps est mince et vigoureux, 
Et des femmes dont l'oeil par sa franchise étonne. 

Guidé par ton odeur vers de charmants climats, 
Je vois un port rempli de voiles et de mâts 
Encor tout fatigués par la vague marine, 

Pendant que le parfum des verts tamariniers, 
Qui circule dans l'air et m'enfle la narine, 
Se mêle dans mon âme au chant des mariniers.

Translation(s): ENG ENG HUN

List of language codes

Submitted by Emily Ezust [Administrator]

Authorship

• by Charles Baudelaire (1821 - 1867), "Parfum exotique", appears in Les Fleurs du Mal, in 1. Spleen et Idéal, no. 22 [ author's text not yet checked 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 Jean-Guy Bailly (1925 - 2009), "Parfum exotique", 1982 [medium voice and piano], from Six poèmes de Charles Baudelaire, no. 3. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Maxime Belliard (1888 - 1986), "Parfum exotique", published [1933] [medium voice and piano], Édition Maurice Senart [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Benjamin C. S. Boyle , "Parfum exotique", op. 24 no. 2, published 2011, first performed 2011 [vocal duet for tenor and soprano with piano], from Chansons de Diane, no. 2. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Gustave Charpentier (1860 - 1956), "Parfum exotique", 1893, published 1894 [voice and piano or orchestra], from Poèmes chantés, no. 3, Éd. H. Tellier [ sung text checked 1 time]
• by Germain Desbonnet (1938 - 2007), "Parfum exotique", 1978, published 1985 [high voice and piano], from Mélodies, no. 2, Éd. du compositeur [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Philippe Gaubert (1879 - 1941), "Parfum exotique", 1933, published 1934 [medium voice and piano], from Dix poèmes pour chant et piano, no. 2, Éd. Heugel [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Joseph Jongen (1873 - 1953), "Parfum exotique", op. 29 no. ? (1906). [soprano, piano, and string quartet] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Guillemette Marrannes (b. 1954), "Parfum exotique", 1997 [medium voice and piano], from Sept mélodies de mer et d'amour, no. 1. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• ENG English (Emily Wyatt) , "Exotic perfume", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Cyril Meir Scott) , "Exotic Perfume", appears in The Flowers of Evil, first published 1909
• HUN Hungarian (Magyar) (Tamás Rédey) , "Varázsos illat", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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