English translations of Deux mélodies, opus 14

by Raffaele d'Alessandro (1911 - 1959)

1. La Dormeuse  [sung text not yet checked]
by Raffaele d'Alessandro (1911 - 1959), "La Dormeuse", op. 14 (Deux mélodies) (1936) [ tenor and piano ]
Language: French (Français) 
Figure de femme, sur son sommeil 
fermée, on dirait qu'elle goûte 
quelque bruit à nul autre pareil 
qui la remplit toute. 

De son corps sonore qui dort 
elle tire la jouissance 
d'être un murmure encor 
sous le regard du silence.

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Confirmed with The Complete French Poems of Rainer Maria Rilke, Saint Paul: Greywolf Press, 1986, Page 204.


by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
1. Woman Sleeping
Language: English 
A woman's face, closed upon
its sleep: you might say she tastes 
some sound unlike any other 
that fills her completely.

From her sonorous sleeping body
she draws the pleasure 
of being a murmur once more 
under the gaze of silence.

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  • 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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This text was added to the website: 2025-09-03
Line count: 8
Word count: 41

Translation © by Grant Hicks