There are gentle farewells at the threshold of doors
Lips upon lips for an hour or for a day;
The wind brings the sound of steps
Which move away from the residence,
The wind brings back the sound of footsteps of the sweet return;
Here they are, climbing the steps
Of the stairway of white stone;
Here they approach.
You walk along the corridor or brush
The elbow of your sleeve against the limestone wall
Or your shoulder;
And you stop, I sense you
Behind the closed door;
Your heart beats quickly and you breathe
And I hear you
And I open the swift door quickly to your smile,
Oh beloved!

There are long farewells on the shore of seas
Amid heavy evenings where one suffocates;
The lighthouses already turn in the dusk;
The lights are bright. It is insufferable.
The wave comes, breaks on the shore, foams and recedes
And beats against the hull of wood and iron.
And in the shadows, hands are slow
To leave each other and clasp together again.
The red reflection of the lanterns
Makes an omen of blood on the uncertain faces
Which say "farewell" on the banks of the seas
Like at a crossroads
Like at the bend of roads which flee
In sunshine or through the rain
Like at the corner of walls where one leans,
Intoxicated from sadness and love;
In gazing at one's hands, separated for a long time
Or forever.

There are still other farewells
Which one exchanges in a low voice
Or, face to face, anxiously,
Life and Death, you kiss each other
Standing in the shadow mouth to mouth
As if to better secure
For all time and eternity
Lip upon lip and breath upon breath
Your two-fold friendship.