Pendant que je te parlais, l'ombre d'une fleur de magnolia s'est posée sur tes genoux. Elle était si lourde, que tu ne m'écoutais plus ! Tu la berçais comme tu aurais bercé l'enfant qui serait né de notre amour, si nous avions pu nous aimer. Et je te regardais bercer l'ombre de cette fleur immense.
Le jardin des caresses
Song Cycle by Denise Aignerelle-Féru (b. 1933)
Translated to:
English — The Garden of Caresses (Grant Hicks)
1. Résignation [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français)
Text Authorship:
- by Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955), "Résignation", written 1911?, appears in Le jardin des caresses, no. 80, Paris, Éd. H. Piazza, first published 1911
Based on:
- a text in Arabic (العربية) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist [text unavailable]
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "Resignation", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Franz Toussaint, Le Jardin des Caresses, 73e édition, Paris : L'édition d'art H. Piazza, 1921, p.80
Note: the final sentence in the source text duplicates the word de, which appears at both the end of one line and the beginning of the next. There is no grammatical or apparent poetic reason for this duplication; rather, it is an instance of a copyist's or typesetter's error known as dittography, which is particularly common at line breaks.Research team for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
2. La gazelle blessée [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français)
La gazelle blessée pleure lorsqu'elle va mourir. Lorsqu'une torche va s'éteindre, sa flamme devient paisible. Et toi, à quel moment as-tu conscience de ton destin ? Est-ce quand tu pleures, est-ce quand tu souris ?
Text Authorship:
- by Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955), "Sur la mort", appears in Le jardin des caresses, no. 32, Paris, Éd. Piazza
Based on:
- a text in Arabic (العربية) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist [text unavailable]
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Franz Toussaint, Le jardin des caresses, Paris: H. Piazza, 1919, p.33.
Research team for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
3. Le silence [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français)
N'interroge pas le mendiant qui te demande l'aumône. Ne questionne pas la femme qui a prononcé, en dormant, des paroles d'amour. Ne réponds pas à celui qui insulte ton ennemi. Ne dis jamais : « Quel silence ! » Dis : « Je n'entends pas. »
Text Authorship:
- by Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955), "Sur le Silence", appears in Le jardin des caresses, no. 31
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Franz Toussaint, Jardin de Caresse, Edition 73, Paris : H. Piazza, p.33
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
Total word count: 130