Nevermore | Souvenir, souvenir, que me veux-tu ? L'automne

Souvenir, souvenir, que me veux‑tu ?...

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG HUN

Souvenir, souvenir, que me veux-tu ? L'automne
Faisait voler la grive à travers l'air atone,
Et le soleil dardait un rayon monotone
Sur le bois jaunissant où la bise détone

Nous étions seul à seule et marchions en rêvant,
Elle et moi, les cheveux et la pensée au vent.
Soudain, tournant vers moi son regard émouvant :
« Quel fut ton plus beau jour? » fit sa voix d'or vivant,

Sa voix douce et sonore, au frais timbre angélique.
Un sourire discret lui donna la réplique,
Et je baisai sa main blanche, dévotement.

— Ah ! les premières fleurs, qu'elles sont parfumées !
Et qu'il bruit avec un murmure charmant
Le premier oui qui sort de lèvres bien-aimées !

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Paul Verlaine, Poëmes saturniens, Paris: Alphonse Lemerre, 1866, in Melancholia, pages 15-16.

Text Authorship:

by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Nevermore", appears in Poèmes saturniens, in 1. Melancholia, no. 2, Paris, Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1866 [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 Paul Amiet (1883 - 1942), "Nevermore", published 1926 [ voice and piano ], from Quatre mélodies, no. 1, Paris, Sénart [sung text not yet checked]
by Louis Blasini, dit Blasi (1857 - 1913), "Plus jamais", alternate title: "Sérénade", 1893, published 1893 [ voice and piano ], Delay (under the title "Plus jamais"); Paris, Hachette (under the title "Sérénade") [sung text not yet checked]
by Paul Bonneau (1918 - 1995), "Nevermore", published 1955 [ voice and piano ], from Six poésies de Paul Verlaine, no. 5, S.E.M.I. [sung text not yet checked]
by Charles-Eugène Domergue (1878 - 1931), "Nevermore", 1906, published [1913] [ high voice and piano ], Paris, M. Serpeille [sung text not yet checked]
by Sylvio Lazzari (1857 - 1944), "Nevermore", published 1901 [ voice and piano ], Hachette [sung text not yet checked]
by Henry de Marliave , "Nevermore" [ voice and piano ], H. Marliave [sung text not yet checked]
by Darius Milhaud (1892 - 1974), "Nevermore", op. 409 no. 6 (1964), published 1966 [ soprano and piano ], from L'amour chante, no. 6, Bryn Mawr, Theodore Presser and Co. [sung text checked 1 time]
by Robert Otlet , "Nevermore", published 1935 [ voice and piano ], from Melancholia, no. 1, Bosworth et Cie [sung text not yet checked]
by Nicolaas Schuyt (1922 - 1992), "Melancholia", published 1981-2 [ voice and piano ], from Alla Deriva, Amsterdam, Donemus [sung text not yet checked]
by Guillermo Uribe Holguín (1880 - 1971), "Nevermore", op. 1 (Seis canciones) no. 3 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
by Philip Wilby (b. 1949), "Nevermore", copyright © 1988, first performed 1983 [ medium voice and piano ], from Ten songs of Paul Verlaine for medium voice and piano, Cycle I : Melancholia, no. 1, Chester Music [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Bergen Weeks Applegate) , "Nevermore", appears in Poems Saturnine, in 1. Melancholia, no. 2
POL Polish (Polski) (Bronisława Ostrowska) , "Never more", Kraków, J. Mortkowicz, first published 1911

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 114