by
Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955)
Autrefois, j’ai vu la mer
Language: French (Français)
Autrefois, j’ai vu la mer.
Elle montait jusqu’à l’horizon
comme une pelouse fleurie de tulipes blanches,
qui étaient des voiles.
Un grand vent avait effeuillé ces tulipes,
et leurs pétales glissaient, rapides,
gonflés comme tes seins.
Autrefois, j’ai vu la mer.
Elle était fougueuse comme ton amour,
et elle engloutissait les pêcheurs de rêves.
Sur la mer de ton amour,
je me suis embarqué autrefois,
et si j’ai pu revenir au port,
c’est parce que je ne t’ai pas aimée.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Franz Toussaint, Le jardin des caresses, Paris: H. Piazza, 1921, p.73.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by J. Boutnikoff , "Chanson", op. 22 no. 2, published 1930 [ voice and piano ], from Le Jardin des caresses - Le tombeau d'Antar, no. 2, Paris : Editions Maurice Sénart [sung text not yet checked]
- by Claude Guillon (1879 - 1956), as Claude Guillon-Verne, "Autrefois, j’ai vu la mer", copyright © 1923 [ voice and piano ], from Sept Poèmes arabes tirés du "Jardin des Caresses", no. 7, Paris : Hamelle [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Grant Hicks
[Guest Editor] , Joost van der Linden
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2024-12-21
Line count: 14
Word count: 80
Once I saw the sea
Language: English after the French (Français)
Once I saw the sea.
It rose to the horizon
like a lawn abloom with white tulips,
which were sails.
A great wind had stripped these tulips
of their petals, which glided swiftly,
swollen like your breasts.
Once I saw the sea.
It was tempestuous like your love,
and it swallowed up the fishers of dreams.
On the sea of your love
I once set sail,
and if I've managed to return to port,
it is because I didn't love you.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Autrefois, j’ai vu la mer" = "Once I Saw the Sea"
"Chanson" = "Song"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2026 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2026-02-28
Line count: 14
Word count: 81
