by Louis Pomey (1835 - 1901)
Translation David Morris
Grands oiseaux blancs
Language: French (Français)
Our translations: ENG
Grands oiseaux blancs, qui bravez les tempêtes, Goëlands ! Grands oiseaux blancs, protégez nos enfants, Nos enfants! Demain aux feux de l'aube ils vont partir! Grands oiseaux blancs, protégez nos enfants, Demain leurs voiles au lointain Sur les flots blanchiront. Hélas! Demain aux feux de l'aube nos enfants partiront! De ces brûlantes plages Où les conduit le sort Vous pouvez chasser les orages Goëlands! goëlands! Parlez de la sainte patrie De la pauvre mère qui prie Parlez à leur amour. Grand oiseaux blancs, qui bravez les tempêtes, protégez nos enfants!
Text Authorship:
- by Louis Pomey (1835 - 1901) [author's text not yet checked 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 Pauline Viardot-García (1821 - 1910), "Grands oiseaux blancs", VWV 1143, published [1893] [ voice and piano ], Éd. Enoch Frères & Costallat [sung text checked 2 times]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (David Morris) , "Great white birds", written 2009
Researcher for this page: John Versmoren
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 19
Word count: 89
Great white birds
Language: English after the French (Français)
Great white birds who brave the tempests, Seagulls. Great white birds, protect our children, Our children. Tomorrow at dawn's first light, They are going to leave. Great white birds, protect our children, Tomorrow at dawn's first light, they will depart. Tomorrow, the sails on the boats will fade into the distance. Alas! Tomorrow, at dawn's first light, our children will depart. From these burning beaches, Whence the passage begins, You can follow the storms. Gulls, gulls! Speak to them of the sacred country, Speak of the poor mother who prays, Speak love to them, speak love to them. Great white birds who brave the tempests, Protect our children.
Note: this translation has been released into the public domain by the translator.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English by David Morris, 2009
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Louis Pomey (1835 - 1901)
This text was added to the website: 2009-05-23
Line count: 19
Word count: 108