Le papillon
Robert Desnos (1900-45)
Le papillon
Trois cent millions de papillons
Sont arrivés à Châtillon
Afin d’y boire du bouillon,
Châtillon-sur-Loire,
Châtillon-sur-Marne,
Châtillon-sur-Seine.
Plaignez les gens de Châtillon!
Ils n’ont plus d'yeux dans leur bouillon
Mais des millions de papillons.
Châtillon-sur-Seine,
Châtillon-sur-Marne,
Châtillon-sur-Loire.
The Butterfly
Butterflies in billions
Browse on broths of brilliance,
Bouillons of ebullience
Brewed by Newcastilians,
Some Upon Tyne, some-under-Lyme,
Britons! and Australians:
Poms! and New South Walians.
Bellow! Newcastilians,
Some Upon Tyne, some-under-Lyme,
Britons! and Australians:
Poms! and New South Walians.
Barely barley brilliance
In your broths’ ebullience,
But butterflies in billions,
Papilionaceous aliens.In *Storysongs/Chantefables*, Agenda Editions, illustrated by Cat Zaza.
Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès