by
Paul Collin (1845 - 1915)
Les marroniers
Language: French (Français)
Available translation(s): ENG
Hélas ! les marronniers qui bordent les allées
Dans leur ombre naguère abritaient bien des nids !
Leurs fronts sont déjà plus qu'à demi dégarnis,
Et les bandes d'oiseaux frileux sont envolées !
Adieu le doux concert des ramages finis !
Le vent murmure seul ses plaintes désolées...
Et nous verrons tomber, aux premières gelées,
Le peu qui reste encor des feuillages jaunis.
Sur les illusions de ma chère folie
Passe le doute amer et la mélancolie ;
Et mon cœur a senti l'hiver tomber en lui !
Mes beaux rêves d'ardeur naïve et de jeunesse...
Plus vite que la feuille et que l'oiseau m'ont fui ;
Hélas ! Et sans espoir que le printemps renaisse !
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):
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Jean-Pierre Granger) , title 1: "The chestnut trees", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Jean-Pierre Granger
This text was added to the website: 2010-10-21
Line count: 14
Word count: 109
The chestnut trees
Language: English after the French (Français)
Alas! The chestnut trees that border the alleys
Not so long ago were shading many nests !
Their heads are already more than half undressed,
And packs of birds have flown away !
Farewell to the sweet concert of birds' songs !
The wind alone whispers its forlorn complaints...
And we shall see, at the first frost, fall
The little that remains from the yellowish leaves.
Over the illusions of my dear insanity
Passes the bitter doubt and the melancholy ;
And my heart has felt the winter come down !
My great dreams of naïve passion and youth
Have fled faster than leaf and bird ;
Alas! And without hope, may the spring return!
The translator has released this translation into the public domain.
Text Authorship:
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Paul Collin (1845 - 1915)
This text was added to the website: 2010-10-21
Line count: 14
Word count: 109