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Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.

It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

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by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)
Translation © by Guy Laffaille

He fumbles at your Soul
Language: English 
Our translations:  FRE
He fumbles at your Soul
As Players at the Keys
Before they drop full Music on --
He stuns you by Degrees --

Prepares your brittle substance
For the Ethereal Blow
By fainter Hammers -- further heard --
Then nearer -- Then so slow --

Your Breath has time to straighten --
Your Brain -- to bubble cool --
Deals -- One -- imperial Thunderbolt --
That scalps your naked soul --

When Winds take Forests in their Paws --
The Firmaments -- are still --

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886), no title [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 Paul Gibson (b. 1952), "He fumbles at your spirit" [SATB chorus a cappella] [
     text verified 1 time
    ]

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

  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , title unknown, copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2009-11-19
Line count: 14
Word count: 70

Il effleure votre Âme
Language: French (Français)  after the English 
Il effleure votre Âme
Comme les Pianistes les Touches --
Avant de lâcher la Musique à fond --
Il vous étourdit par Degrés --

Prépare votre substance fragile
Pour le Coup sublime
Par des Marteaux -- entendus au loin --
Puis plus près -- Puis si -- lents --

Votre Souffle -- a une chance de se reprendre
Votre cerveau -- de se rafraîchir --
Donne un Seul -- Coup de tonnerre impérial --
Qui pèle votre âme à nu --

Quand les Vents tiennent des Forêts dans leurs pattes --
Les Firmaments -- sont silencieux --

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2009 by Guy Laffaille, (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 English by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886), no title
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2009-11-19
Line count: 14
Word count: 80

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This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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