Autumn Song | Mama Lisa's World Blog

Posts

“Chanson d’Automne” – Autumn Song – A Poem by Verlaine

Monday, November 26th, 2007

Here is one last poem about Autumn before I focus on the topic of the upcoming December holiday season.

I came upon this poem while looking for French podcasts to brush up on my French in anticipation of a trip to France in the Spring. There’s a whole podcast in French devoted to this poem that you can listen to. It inspired me to come up with my own translation, which you can read below.

Chanson d’Automne is a very sad poem that was written by Paul-Marie Verlaine in 1866. Most French people are familiar with this poem as it’s taught in school. French children are often required to learn it by heart.

Chanson d’Automne

Les sanglots longs
Des violons
De l’automne
Blessent mon cœur
D’une langueur
Monotone.

Tout suffocant
Et blême, quand
Sonne l’heure,
Je me souviens
Des jours anciens
Et je pleure;

Et je m’en vais
Au vent mauvais
Qui m’emporte
Deçà, delà,
Pareil à la
Feuille morte.

Autumn Song

The long tears
Of Autumn’s
Violins
Wound my heart
With a monotonous
lethargy.

All suffocating
And pale when
The hour strikes,
I remember
The old days
And I cry…

And I am going away
On an ill wind
That carries me
Here, there,
Just like a
Dead leaf.