El Desdichado – French Poem by Gerard de Nerval

Today, I’m going to present you a rather complicated French poem, which speaks of French historical characters and refers to legends from France and the Roman and Greek antiquity.

Rather dark, yet full of hope, this poem is gorgeous and profound, and one can find a new meaning with each reading.

Press on the button to reveal the English translation.

Free French Poem & English Translation

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Je suis le Ténébreux, – le Veuf, – l’Inconsolé,
Le Prince d’Aquitaine à la Tour abolie :
Ma seule Etoile est morte, – et mon luth constellé
Porte le Soleil noir de la Mélancolie.

I am the Dark One, – the Widower, – the Unconsoled
The Aquitaine Prince whose Tower is destroyed:
My only star is dead,- and my constellated lute
Bears the black Sun of Melancholia.

Dans la nuit du Tombeau, Toi qui m’as consolé,
Rends-moi le Pausilippe et la mer d’Italie,
La fleur qui plaisait tant à mon coeur désolé,
Et la treille où le Pampre à la Rose s’allie.

In the night of the Tomb, You who comforted me,
Give me back Mount Posillipo and the Italian sea,
The flower that my afflicted heart liked so much
And the treillised vineyard where the grapevine unites with the rose.

Suis-je Amour ou Phébus ?… Lusignan ou Biron ?
Mon front est rouge encor du baiser de la Reine ;
J’ai rêvé dans la Grotte où nage la sirène…

Am I Love or Phoebus ?… Lusignan or Biron ?
My forehead is still red from the Queen’s kiss ;
I dreamt of the Cave where the mermaid swims…

Et j’ai deux fois vainqueur traversé l’Achéron :
Modulant tour à tour sur la lyre d’Orphée
Les soupirs de la Sainte et les cris de la Fée.

Twice victorious I crossed Acheron :
Taking turn to play on Orpheus’ lyre
The sighs of the Saint and the Fairy’s screams.

Learn French with the most famous French poems, such as “Demain, dès l’aube”, “La Cigale et la Fourmi”, “Parfum Exotique” with my Classic French Poetry audiobooks.

1. French poem read twice,
2. explanation of the text and the meaning,
3. life of the author’s life (Hugo, La Fontaine, Baudelaire…)

in simple French with English translation.

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