by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872)
Translation © by Judith Kellock

Coquetterie posthume
Language: French (Français) 
Available translation(s): ENG GER
Quand je mourrai, que l'on me mette,
Avant que de clouer mon cercueil,
Un peu de rouge à la pommette,
Un peu de noir au bord de l'oeil.

Car je veux, dans ma bière close,
Comme le soir de son aveu,
Rester éternellement rose
Avec du khol sous mon œuil bleu.

Pas de suaire en toile fine ;
Mais drapez-moi dans les plis blancs
De ma robe de mousseline,
De ma robe à treize volants.

C'est ma parure préférée :
Je la portais quand je lui plus ;
Son premier regard l'a sacrée,
Et depuis je ne la mis plus.

Posez-moi sans jaune immortelle,
Sans coussin de larmes brodé.
Sur mon oreiller de dentelle
De ma chevelure inondé.

Cet oreiller, dans les nuits folle,
A vu dormir nos fronts unis,
Et sous le drap noir des gondoles
Compté nos baisers infinis.

Entre mes mains de cire pâle,
Que la prière réunit,
Tournez ce chapelet d'opale
Par le pape à Rome bènit.

Je l'égrènerai dans la couche
D'où nul encor ne s'est levé.
Sa bouche en a dit sur ma bouche
Chaque Pater et chaque Ave.

Quand je mourrai, que l'on ne mette,
Avant que de clouer mon cercueil.
Un peu de rouge à la pommette
Un peu de noir au bord de l'oeil.

C. Debussy sets stanzas 1-2, 5-8, 1

Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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

  • ENG English (Judith Kellock) , "Posthumous coqetry", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • GER German (Deutsch) (Ingrid Schmithüsen) , "Posthume Koketterie", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Judith Kellock

This text was added to the website: 2007-01-15
Line count: 36
Word count: 213

Posthumous coqetry
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
When I die, one must place
Before nailing down my coffin,
A little rouge on my cheekbone,
A little black line around my eye.

Because I want, in my closed casket,
Like the evening of his confession,
To stay eternally rosy,
With coal black on my blue eyes.

Pose me without the yellow of immorality,
Without a pillow embroidered with tears.
On my lace pillow
Flowing with my tresses.

That pillow, in crazy nights,
Has seen our brows sleeping together
And on the black bulging shroud,
Count our infinite kisses.

Between my pale waxed hands
Reunited in prayer,
Wind the opal rosary,
Blessed by the Roman Pope.

I will unstring it in the bed,
From which nothing again rises.
His mouth will place on my mouth,
Every Pater Noster and Ave Maria.

When I die, one must place
Before nailing down my coffin,
A little rouge on my cheekbone,
A little black line around my eye.

Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2007 by Judith Kellock, (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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This text was added to the website: 2007-01-15
Line count: 28
Word count: 156