This is how it is for poor hearts

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by Émile Verhaeren (1855 - 1916)

Translation © by Grant Hicks

Il est ainsi de pauvres cœurs

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

Il est ainsi de pauvres cœurs
Avec en eux des lacs de pleurs,
Qui sont pâles, comme les pierres
   D'un cimetière.

Il est ainsi de pauvres dos
Plus lourds de peine et de fardeaux
Que les toits des cassines brunes,
   Parmi les dunes.

Il est ainsi de pauvres mains,
Comme feuilles sur les chemins,
Comme feuilles jaunes et mortes,
   Devant la porte.

Il est ainsi de pauvres yeux
Humbles et bons et soucieux
Et plus tristes que ceux des bêtes
   Sous la tempête.

Il est ainsi de pauvres gens,
Aux gestes las et indulgents,
Sur qui s'acharne la misère,
   Au long des plaines de la terre.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

by Émile Verhaeren (1855 - 1916), "Février", subtitle: "Les Errants", written 1895, appears in Les Douze mois, Éd. Belge, first published 1895 [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 Francis Bousquet (1890 - 1942), "Les Pauvres", published 1910 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, Éditions Maurice & Jane Vieu [sung text not yet checked]
by Joseph Jongen (1873 - 1953), "Les Pauvres", op. 64 (1919) [ medium voice and piano, with optional string quartet ] [sung text checked 1 time]
by Theo Van der Bijl (1886 - 1971), "Les Errants" [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-09-02
Line count: 20
Word count: 106

This is how it is for poor hearts

Language: English after the French (Français)

This is how it is for poor hearts 
With lakes of tears within them,
That are pale, like the stones
   Of a cemetery.

This is how it is for poor backs,
Heavier with sorrow and burdens
Than the roofs of brown cottages
   Among the dunes.

This is how it is for poor hands,
Like leaves on the paths,
Like leaves yellowed and dead
   In front of the door.

This is how it is for poor eyes,
Humble and kind and anxious,
And sadder than those of animals 
   Out in the storm.

This is how it is for poor folk, 
With gestures weary and forgiving,
Who are hounded by misery
   Across the plains of the earth.

About the headline (FAQ)

Translations of titles:
"Février" = "February"
"Les Errants" = "Wanderers"
"Les Pauvres" = "The Poor"

Text Authorship:

Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (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 Émile Verhaeren (1855 - 1916), "Février", subtitle: "Les Errants", written 1895, appears in Les Douze mois, Éd. Belge, first published 1895
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2026-02-17
Line count: 20
Word count: 115