We like to post seasonal poetry from around the world.  Now that summer’s here we’d like to share this French poem about summer that will heat you up!

Below you’ll find the original French text to the poem Chaleur (Heat) by Anna de Noailles with a recording and an English translation.

MP3 Recording of the poem "Chaleur"

Chaleur
Par Anna de Noailles

Tout luit, tout bleuit, tout bruit,

Le jour est brûlant comme un fruit

Que le soleil fendille et cuit.

Chaque petite feuille est chaude

Et miroite dans l’air où rôde

Comme un parfum de reine-claude.

Du soleil comme de l’eau pleut

Sur tout le pays jaune et bleu

Qui grésille et oscille un peu.

Un infini plaisir de vivre

S’élance de la forêt ivre,

Des blés roses comme du cuivre.

Heat

Everything shines, turns blue, rustles,

The day is searing like a fruit

That the sun cracks et cooks.

Every little leaf is hot

And shimmers in the air where

A fragrance like plum* lingers.

The sun like water rains down

On the whole land, yellow and bleu

Sizzling and oscillating a little.

An infinite pleasure of living

Rushes forward from the drunken forest

Of pink wheat like copper.

*Specifically greengage plum.

MP3 Recording by Monique Palomares
English translation by Lisa Yannucci
Image: Four Greengages (detail) by Johann Wilhelm Preyer

Many thanks to Monique for recording this poem for us and for helping to clarify its meaning.  Monique works with us on the French and Spanish versions of Mama Lisa’s World.