for you, love

She/her. The translations are not 100% literal. I feel deeply and need to exteriorise/ share it with you. Feel free to request stuff or say hi :)

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

Lorsque je me perds,

lorsque mon cœur se serre,

lorsque mes lèvres tremblent,

et que mes yeux deviennent un océan,

tu es tout proche, tout près de moi.

Lorsque la tempête fait rage

dans mon cœur

tu es tout proche, tout près de moi.

La douceur que tu caches

attire mon coeur,

et mes lèvres salées

se languissent d’un baiser.

When I lose myself,

when my heart tightens,

when my lips are trembling,

and my eyes turn into an ocean,

you are right here, by my side.

Whenever a storm rages

within my heart,

you are right here, by my side.

The softness you hide

calls to my heart,

and my salty lips,

are longing for a kiss.

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

Lorsque le monde se dérobe sous mes pieds,

lorsque respirer me fait souffrir,

tu ne trembles pas.

Tu ouvres tes bras,

puissants mais délicats.

Et lorsque tu dis

« ne t’inquiète pas »,

en me serrant fort contre toi,

tu me sauves à chaque fois.

When the world is crumbling under my feet,

when every breath I take hurts,

you do not waver.  

You open your arms,

strong yet delicate.

And when you say

“do not worry”,

holding me close against you,

you save me every time.

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

My beloved, 

Please forgive me for my lack of delicacy, but I must first and foremost apologise. What wouldn’t I give to kneel in front of you and beg for your forgiveness; Alas! The heavens are merciless, and I am not allowed to do so. Forgive me for not being by your side at this moment. Oh, I know it is too much to ask… If only you knew how guilty I feel for not being by your side, for not being able to alleviate your pain, or at least share it with you. I feel oh so guilty for being so far away, safe, far from the woes and terrors that fill your days. There is not one day when I don’t think of you, and of all those who suffer from the war. How I would love to hold you close and to carry a little of the burden that weighs on your heart. My dearest, know that my heart bleeds alongside yours; I will not rest until the day you are free from the oppressor, until you live at home and without any fear for the morrow. 

How I would love to give you the future you desire and deserve. How I would love to kneel at your feet and kiss your hands tenderly, whispering to you: “all will be well.”

It seems so difficult to find the right words; they all appear shallow to me. My neighbours have forgotten about your everyday life, I know, but I do not forget. How could I ignore the cruel life that you suffer, how could I go to bed without a thought for you and for your beautiful country that has already seen so much. 

I must admit that my hunger has returned, and so has my sleep. I've heard that despite everything, you get used to such things. I can only imagine what you have to get used to... Yes, when I read the newspapers, when I read that hearing the alarms is part of your daily life, that taking shelter becomes almost boring, I can see that I am not living this war. And yet, how could I live as if it were not unfolding? Aren't we made of the same blood, don't we breathe the same air? Don't we all have a heart that beats?

The indifference of those around me makes me sick to my stomach; I only want to grab them and wake them up! To hear that it does not concern them makes me lose hope in humanity. Between the indifferents and the oppressors... Doesn't the world know enough woes in normal times? Is it really necessary to go and lose one's humanity, torturing one's neighbor who hasn't asked for anything? Ah, forgive me, I am going astray… 

Bien-aimée, for many years I have promised myself to visit a Sevastopol free of battles, free of oppressors, and now I hear that the city is once again in the midst of fighting. What a tragedy, what suffering your people and your country have endured. You know I am not pious, but I often find myself praying for peace.

I am unable to find the words that will make you feel better, I know that words can only do so much. Peace and freedom will come to you, I promise. Your people are good, and your fervour can only make you the victors. If you do not come to me, I will come to you. Forgive me for not being able to protect you; yet it is my deepest desire. I wish that evil would never come near you.

I send you my thoughts, and soft kisses, hoping that they bring you some comfort in these tumultuous times.

Yours.

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

la neige tombe autour de nous

ton nez est rougi par le froid

ta présence m'étourdit;

je me sens si vivante

lorsque tu es tout près de moi

the snow is falling around us

your nose is reddened by the cold

your presence makes me dizzy;

I feel so alive

when you are so close to me

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

Après une longue journée,

tu me reviens,

fatiguée.

Je souhaite alors

n’être plus qu’un chat,

me poser sur tes genoux

et m’abandonner à toi,

à tes caresses distraites.

After a long day,

you come back to me,

exhausted.

I only wish then

to become a cat,

to rest on your lap

and abandon myself to you,

to your distracted caresses.

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

Tu me fais me sentir vivante

d’une façon qui m’effraie. 

Comment survivrai-je 

si un jour tu me quittais ?

You make me feel alive

in a way that frightens me.

How would I survive 

if you were to leave me ? 

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

nous nous promènerons

au bord de la Neva

je te parlerai du Palais d'Hiver

et de toutes ses impératrices

qui paraissent si fades

à côté de toi

tu te moqueras de moi

et moi…

je comblerai l'espace

qui me prive de tes bras

we will walk along

the banks of the Neva 

I will tell you about the Winter Palace

and all its empresses

who seem so bland

next to you

you will laugh at me

and I…

I will fill the space

that deprives me of your arms

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

Et lorsque tu me souris,

le monde entier cesse de tourner.

J’en oublie la parole, 

j’en oublie de respirer,

je ne sais plus qui je suis.

Je ne peux que te contempler.  

And when you smile to me,

the entire world ceases to revolve. 

I forget how to speak,

I forget how to breathe,

I don’t know who I am anymore.

I cannot do anything but gaze at you.

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

l'air glacé enveloppe nos corps tes mains sont gelées les miennes sont chaudes le froid te fait pleurer et mon cœur doit choisir qui réchauffer entre tes joues fraiches et tes petits mains d'amour.

Que l’hiver est cruel.

the freezing wind surrounds our bodies your hands are frozen mine are warm the cold makes you cry and my heart has to choose who to warm up between your fresh cheeks and your little, lovely hands.

How cruel is winter.

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

Tes silences me brisent le cœur. Je le sais, tu ne fais que vivre ta vie loin de moi et moi, je rêve de parcourir tout un continent, venir t'enlacer silencieusement, me blottir contre toi amoureusement, et te soulager de tes peines, éternellement

Your silences break my heart. I know it, you are just living your life away from me and me, I dream to travel a whole continent, to come and embrace you silently, to snuggle up to you lovingly, and relieve you of your sorrows, eternally

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

Après une longue journée,

tu me reviens,

fatiguée.

Je souhaite alors

n’être plus qu’un chat,

me poser sur tes genoux

et m’abandonner à toi,

à tes caresses distraites.

After a long day,

you come back to me,

exhausted.

I only wish then

to become a cat,

to rest on your lap

and abandon myself to you,

to your distracted caresses.

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

Comme j’aimerai mourir

dès l’arrivée du grand froid;

devenir un flocon de neige

et me déposer sur tes lèvres

et ne plus jamais te quitter 

How I would love to die

as soon as the great cold arrives;

become a snowflake

and land on your lips

and never leave you again

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

Tu me fais me sentir vivante

d’une façon qui m’effraie. 

Comment survivrai-je 

si un jour tu me quittais ?

You make me feel alive

in a way that frightens me.

How would I survive 

if you were to leave me ? 

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

nous nous promènerons

au bord de la Neva

je te parlerai du Palais d'Hiver

et de toutes ses impératrices

qui paraissent si fades

à côté de toi

tu te moqueras de moi

et moi...

je comblerai l'espace

qui me prive de tes bras

we will walk along

the banks of the Neva 

I will tell you about the Winter Palace

and all its empresses

who seem so bland

next to you

you will laugh at me

and I...

I will fill the space

that deprives me of your arms

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

Ne crains jamais d’en faire trop,

car je n’en ai jamais assez de toi.

Je me délecte de tes paroles, 

et tes soupirs sont mon oxygène.

Si seulement je pouvais fondre contre toi,

je ne connaîtrais plus jamais ni le froid,

ni la crainte

de te voir partir

à tout jamais

Never fear to be too much,

for I can never have enough of you.

I revel in your words,

and your sighs are my oxygen.

If only I could melt into you,

I would never know cold again,

nor the fear

to see you go

forever 

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

En cette froide nuit d’automne

je déambule dans les rues de Prague

avec pour seule compagnie

un étrange air bohémien.

Mon esprit est égaré,

et mon cœur te réclame.

Ô tendre amour, 

aies pitié de moi !

Redonne-moi la vie

avec un généreux baiser

et réchauffe mon âme

par ta simple présence.

On this cold autumn night

I wander in the streets of Prague

with for only company 

a strange bohemian melody.

My mind is astray,

and my heart calls for you.

O gentle love, 

have pity on me!

Give life back to me 

with a charitable kiss

and warm my soul 

with your sheer presence.

[quelques-mots-d-amour]

Que ne donnerai-je pas

pour devenir une page

de ton recueil de poèmes favori.

Recevoir tes caresses, 

vivre de tes soupirs,

m’endormir sous tes tendres regards.

What would I not give

to become a sheet

of your favourite collection of poems.

To receive your caresses,

to live on your sighs,

to fall asleep under your tender gazes.