by
Paul-Jean Toulet (1867 - 1920)
Le temps irrévocable a fui. L'heure...
Language: French (Français)
Le temps irrévocable a fui. L'heure s'achève.
Mais toi, quand tu reviens, et traverses mon rêve,
Tes bras sont plus frais que le jour qui se lève,
Tes yeux plus clairs.
A travers le passé ma mémoire t'embrasse.
Te voici. Tu descends en courant la terrasse
Odorante, et tes faibles pas s'embarrassent
Parmi les fleurs.
Par un après-midi de l'automne, au mirage
De ce tremble inconstant que varient les nuages,
Ah, verrai-je encor se farder ton visage
D'ombre et de soleil ?
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Paul-Jean Toulet, Les contrerimes, Paris: Emile-Paul Frères, 1923, page 89.
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 François Berthet (1873 - 1956), "Le tremble est blanc", op. 21 no. 2 [ medium voice and piano ], from Trois Contrerimes, no. 2, Paris, Éd. Rouart-Lerolle [sung text not yet checked]
- by Louis Beydts (1896 - 1953), "Le temps irrévocable a fui", 1945, published 1946 [ medium voice and piano or orchestra ], from d’Ombre et de soleil, no. 7, Éd. Durand [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Jacques Leguerney (1906 - 1997), "Le tremble est blanc", 1943 [ voice and piano ], from Dix Poèmes de Paul-Jean Toulet, no. 9 [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: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Grant Hicks
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2011-06-03
Line count: 12
Word count: 81
Irrevocable time has fled. The hour is...
Language: English after the French (Français)
Irrevocable time has fled. The hour is at an end.
But you, when you return, and pass through my dreams,
Your arms are fresher than the dawning day,
Your eyes brighter.
Across the past my memory embraces you.
Here you are. You run down the fragrant
Terrace, and your dainty steps become entangled
Among the flowers.
On an Autumn afternoon, in the mirage
Of this fickle aspen reshaped by the clouds,
Ah, will I see again your face painted
With shadow and sunlight?
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Le temps irrévocable a fui" = "Irrevocable time has fled"
"Le tremble est blanc" = "The Aspen Is White"
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: 2026-01-30
Line count: 12
Word count: 83
