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La cour se fleurit de souci Comme le front De tous ceux-ci Qui vont en rond En flageolant sur leur fémur Débilité Le long du mur Fou de clarté. Tournez, Samsons sans Dalila, Sans Philistin, Tournez bien la Meule au destin. Vaincu risible de la loi, Mouds tour à tour Ton cœur, ta foi Et ton amour ! Ils vont! et leurs pauvres souliers Font un bruit sec, Humiliés, La pipe au bec. Pas un mot ou bien le cachot, Pas un soupir, Il fait si chaud Qu'on croit mourir. J'en suis de ce cirque effaré, Soumis d'ailleurs Et préparé À tous malheurs. Et pourquoi si j'ai contristé Ton vœu têtu, Société, Me choierais-tu ? Allons, frères, bons vieux voleurs, Doux vagabonds, Filous en fleur, Mes chers, mes bons, Fumons philosophiquement, Promenons-nous Paisiblement : Rien faire est doux.
About the headline (FAQ)
First published in the revue Lutèce, October 4-11, 1885.
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Autre", appears in Parallèlement, in Révérence parler, no. 3, first published 1889 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Charles Bordes (1863 - 1909), "La ronde des prisonniers", 1900, published 1914, first performed 1905 [ voice and piano or orchestra ], Éd. Rouart, Lerolle & Cie [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Gustave Charpentier (1860 - 1956), "La ronde des compagnons", 1894, published 1894-5 [ baritone and men's chorus ], from Poèmes chantés, no. 16, Paris, Tellier [sung text not yet checked]
- by Antoine Duhamel (1925 - 2014), "Autre", 1995, published 1997 [ baritone and piano ], from Révérence parler, no. 3, Édition Notissimo [sung text not yet checked]
- by Maurice Franck (b. 1897), "Autre" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Georges (Jerzy) Nawrocki , "Autre", 1971/1972 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , copyright © 2022, (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: 135
The courtyard blossoms in marigolds and in the worried brows of all these men who trudge round and round tottering on their leg-bones (so feeble) along the wall that is crazily bright. Round you go, Samsons without Delilahs or Philistines, turn well the grinding-wheel of destiny. And you, laughable victim of the law, grind these three in turn: your heart, your faith and your love! On they go! and their shabby shoes make creaking noises; humiliated men, with pipes in their mouths. Not a word, or else you're put in solitary, not a sigh; it is so hot that you think you're dying. I am part of this bemused circus, a subdued part prepared for all misfortunes. And why, Society, would you pamper me, if I have grieved your stubborn wish? Come on, brothers, good old thieves, gentle tramps, flowering rogues, friends of mine, good men, let us smoke philosophically, let us walk on calmly in peace: doing nothing is pleasant.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2022 by Peter Low, (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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Autre", appears in Parallèlement, in Révérence parler, no. 3, first published 1889
This text was added to the website: 2022-09-23
Line count: 40
Word count: 161