Les petits ifs du cimetière Frémissent au vent hiémal, Dans la glaciale lumière. Avec des bruits sourds qui font mal, Les croix de bois des tombes neuves Vibrent sur un ton anormal. Silencieux comme des fleuves, Mais gros de pleurs comme eux de flots, Les fils, les mères et les veuves Par les détours du triste enclos S'écoulent, — lente théorie, — Au rhythme heurté des sanglots. Le sol sous les pieds glisse et crie, Là-haut de grands nuages tors S'échevèlent avec furie. Pénétrant comme le remords, Tombe un froid lourd qui vous écœure Et qui doit filtrer chez les morts, Chez les pauvres morts, à toute heure Seuls, et sans cesse grelottants, — Qu'on les oublie ou qu'on les pleure ! — Ah ! vienne vite le Printemps, Et son clair soleil qui caresse, Et ses doux oiseaux caquetants ! Refleurisse l'enchanteresse Gloire des jardins et des champs Que l'âpre hiver tient en détresse ! Et que, — des levers aux couchants, — L'or dilaté d'un ciel sans bornes Berce de parfums et de chants, Chers endormis, vos sommeils mornes !
Confirmed with Paul Verlaine, Poëmes saturniens, Paris: Alphonse Lemerre, 1866, pages 87-89.
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Sub urbe", appears in Poèmes saturniens, Paris, Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1866 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Louis-Marie de Serres (1864 - 1942), "Sub urbe", published 1896 [ voice and piano ], Paris, Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Bergen Weeks Applegate) , "Sub urbe", appears in Poems Saturnine
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2012-01-19
Line count: 31
Word count: 177
The little yews of the cemetery Tremble before the wintry blasts In the clear cold light. With a sound mournful and sad The crosses of wood over the new graves Vibrate with an abnormal tone. Silent as the streams, But full of tears as the floods, The sons, the mothers, and the widows Through the paths of the sad enclosure Wander, a slow procession, To the wounding rhythm of sobs. The yielding soil under their feet seems to cry. On high the huge clouds twist And tear themselves with fury. Penetrating as remorse Falls the heavy cold that o'erpowers, Seeming to reach even to the dead. To the poor dead, who are always Alone, and who tremble unceasingly, —Forgotten by some or wept by others. Ah, come quickly, O thou Springtime, With thy clear and caressing sun, With thy sweet birds chattering! Make bloom with enchanting Glory the gardens and the fields That the rude winter holds in distress! And, when the sunsets fall Spreading with gold the boundless sky, Soothe with sweet odors and with songs Dear absent ones, your mournful sleep!
Confirmed with Bergen Applegate, Paul Verlaine: His Absinthe-Tinted Song, Chicago, Ralph Fletcher Seymour, The Alderbrink Press, 1916, pages 62-63.
Text Authorship:
- by Bergen Weeks Applegate (b. 1865), "Sub urbe", appears in Poems Saturnine [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Sub urbe", appears in Poèmes saturniens, Paris, Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1866
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2022-03-13
Line count: 31
Word count: 183