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Dans la plaine blonde et sous les allées,
Pour mieux faire accueil au doux messidor,
Nous irons chasser les choses ailées,
Moi, la strophe, et toi, le papillon d'or.
Et nous choisirons les routes tournantes,
Sous les saules gris et près des roseaux,
Pour mieux écouter les choses chantantes ;
Moi, le rythme, et toi, le chœur des oiseaux.
...
Et l'amour, servant notre fantaisie,
Fera, ce jour-là l'été plus charmant,
Je serai poète, et toi poésie ;
Tu seras plus belle, et moi plus aimant.
Suivant tous les deux les rives charmées,
Que le fleuve bat de ses flots parleurs,
Nous vous trouverons, choses parfumées,
Moi, glanant des vers, toi cueillant des fleurs.
Et l'amour, servant notre fantaisie,
Fera, ce jour-là l'été plus charmant,
Je serai poète, et toi poésie ;
Tu seras plus belle, et moi plus aimant.
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4,3,4 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Charles Marie Jean Albert Widor (1844 - 1937), "Dans la plaine blonde", op. 22 no. 5 (1875), stanzas 1-2,4,3,4 [ high voice and piano ], from Quarante mélodies, no. 33
Text Authorship:
- by François Coppée (1842 - 1908), "Ritournelle", written 1864-69, appears in Poèmes divers, no. 4, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Lemerre
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English [singable] (Anonymous/Unidentified Artist) , "Ritournelle"
- ENG English (Michael Berridge) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Amy Pfrimmer) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Stuart Price , Amy Pfrimmer
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 117
On the sun-blanched plain and along the leafy avenues,
to pay greater honour to sweet summertime,
we shall go and chase the winged things,
for me, the verse, and for you, the gilded butterfly.
And we shall choose tempting roads
beneath the grey willows and along the brooks,
to better hear the singing things,
for me, rhythm, and for you, the chorus of the birds.
...
And love, responding to our fancy,
shall make this day the most magical of summers;
I shall be a poet, and you, poetry.
You will be more beautiful, and I more loving.
Following the banks together under their spell
as the current kisses them with its eloquent ripples,
we shall find you, sweet-scented things,
me gathering verses, you picking flowers.
And love, responding to our fancy,
shall make this day the most magical of summers;
I shall be a poet, and you, poetry.
You will be more beautiful, and I more loving.
About the headline (FAQ)
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4,3,4 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2020 by Michael Berridge, (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.
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by François Coppée (1842 - 1908), "Ritournelle", written 1864-69, appears in Poèmes divers, no. 4, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Lemerre
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This text was added to the website: 2020-01-11
Line count: 16
Word count: 125