Qu'est-ce pour nous, mon coeur... What do we care, my heart... Translated by Holly Tannen
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What do we care, my heart, for the sheets of blood And coals, a thousand murders, and the long cries Of rage, sobs of all hell overturning All order; and the north wind blowing over the debris; And all vengeance? Nothing!... - Nonetheless We want it! Industrialists, princes, senates, Perish! Down with power, justice, history! That much you owe us. Blood! Blood! the golden flame! All to war, vengeance, and terror, My soul! Turn in the jaws: Begone, Republics of the world! Emperors, Regiments, colonists, nations, enough! Who would stir the furious fiery whirlwinds But ourselves and those we imagine our brothers? It's our turn, romantic friends: it will please us. Never will we work, o waves of fire! Europe, Asia, America, disappear! Our avenging march has occupied it all. Cities and countries! - We'll be overwhelmed! Volcanoes will explode! The ocean shall be smitten... Oh my friends! My heart, I'm sure they're brothers Black strangers, what if we began! Let's go! Let's go! Oh misfortune! I tremble, the old earth over me More and more yours! The earth melts, It's nothing! I'm here! I'm still here. Qu'est-ce pour nous, mon coeur...
Qu'est-ce pour nous, mon coeur, que les nappes de sang
Et toute vengeance ? Rien !... - Mais si, toute encor,
Tout à la guerre, à la vengeance, à la terreur,
Qui remuerait les tourbillons de feu furieux,
Europe, Asie, Amérique, disparaissez.
Oh ! mes amis ! - Mon coeur, c'est sûr, ils sont des frères : Ce n'est rien ! j'y suis ! j'y suis toujours. |
back to the play translations next poem: The Tortured Heart |
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Mistress of Folklore Box 1136 Mendocino, California 95460 Fax 707-937-3055 |
Holly Tannen teaches folklore and anthropology, and has lectured on
contemporary magic at U.C. Berkeley and at Yale University. Her recordings
include "Invocation", "Between the Worlds", and "Rime of the Ancient
Matriarch"
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updated 25 August 2003 : 16:19 Caspar (Pacific) time |
All text, translations, and songs copyright © 2002 by Holly Tannen