Three Arab Poems

Translations © by Grant Hicks

Song Cycle by Andrée Marie Clémence Bonhomme (1905 - 1982)

View original-language texts alone: Trois poèmes Arabes

1. Attente
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Plus rouge que la fleur de l'océan 
le soleil descendait dans les sables. 
C'était l'heure convenue. J'avais entravé mon cheval. Je m'étais assis. 

Tu es arrivée ! 
Et j'ai frissonné, comme le dormeur 
qui est surpris par l'aurore.

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by Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955)
1. Waiting
Language: English 
Redder than the flower of the [ohkouan]1
the sun set [behind the landscape]2.
It was the appointed hour.  I'd tied up my [horse. I'd]3 sat down.

You [appeared, Fatima]4!
[And I shivered]5, like a sleeper
who is surprised by the dawn.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 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.
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Translations of titles:
"Attente" = "Waiting"
"Ebn Zeïdoun" = "Ebn Zeïdoun"
"L'Attente" = "Waiting"

Note to stanza 1, line 1, line 7: ohkouan appears in Toussaint's translation from the Arabic and is left unexplained.
1 Bonhomme: "ocean"
2 Bonhomme: "into the sands"
3 Coelho: "horse and I'd"
4 Bonhomme: "appeared"; Coelho: "appeared, my beloved"
5 Coelho: "Then I was seized with a great shiver"


This text was added to the website: 2025-09-13
Line count: 6
Word count: 50

Translation © by Grant Hicks
2. Après
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Elle s’était endormie dans mes bras.
Pour la protéger contre la fraicheur de la nuit,
j’avais doucement étalé ses cheveux sur ses épaules.
Dans l'herbe, autour de nous, les insectes reprenaient un à un leur musique. 
C'est l'heure où les mères bercent leur petite fille...

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by Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955)
2. After
Language: English 
She had fallen asleep in my arms.
To protect her from the chill of the night,
I had gently spread her hair over her [breasts]1.
In the grass around us, the insects one by one resumed their music.
[At that hour, mothers were also rocking]2 their little daughter...

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 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.
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1 Bonhomme: "shoulders"
2 Bonhomme: "It is the hour when mothers rock"


This text was added to the website: 2025-09-13
Line count: 5
Word count: 51

Translation © by Grant Hicks
3. L’Autre
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Ma main avait parcouru son corps, 
elle s'était endormie. 
Je la regardais.
Cependant, ma pensée allait vers une autre.
Comme sa main pourrait m'endormir !
Et j'ai tant besoin de sommeil...

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by Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955)
3. The Other
Language: English 
My hand had traversed her body,
she had fallen asleep.
I was watching her.
Yet my thoughts were turning [to]1 another.
How her hand [knew how to]2 put me to sleep!
And I have such need of sleep...

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 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: 

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1 Bonhomme: "towards"
2 Bonhomme: "could"


This text was added to the website: 2025-09-13
Line count: 6
Word count: 40

Translation © by Grant Hicks