Language: French (Français)
Our translations: CAT ENG
Que me veux-tu, chère fleurette,
Aimable et charmant souvenir?
Demi-morte et demi-coquette,
Jusqu'à moi qui te fait venir?
Sous ce cachet enveloppé,
Tu viens de faire un long chemin.
Qu'as-tu vu? que t'a dit la main
Qui sur le buisson t'a coupée?
N'es-tu qu'une herbe desséchée
Qui vient achever de mourir?
Ou ton sein, prêt à refleurir,
Renferme-t-il une pensée?
...
S'il en est ainsi, parle bas,
Mystérieuse messagère;
S'il n'en est rien, ne réponds pas;
Dors sur mon coeur, fraîche et légère.
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,6 of the original text.
First published in Revue des deux mondes, December 1, 1841.
Composition:
Set to music by Edouard Lalo (1823 - 1892), "À une fleur", 1870, stanzas 1-3,6 [ contralto and piano ]
Text Authorship:
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "A una flor", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Victoria de Menil) , "To a flower", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 40
Word count: 211
Language: English after the French (Français)
What do you want from me, dear little flower,
Friendly and charming souvenir
Half dead and half coy,
What makes you come up to me?
Enveloped in this style
You just made a long journey.
What did you see? What said the hand
That cut you from the bush?
Are you but dry grass
That has just finished dying?
Or does your breast, ready to flower again,
Enclose a thought?
...
If it is so, speak low
Mysterious messenger!
If it is not, do not answer;
Sleep on my heart, fresh and light!
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,6 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © by Victoria de Menil, (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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Based on:
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 40
Word count: 233
