To Mademoiselle ***, Poem by Alfred De Musset

Yes, women, whatever may be said,
You have the fatal power
To cast us with a smile
Into rapture or despair.

Yes, two words, even silence,
A glance distracted or mocking,
Can give to one who loves you
A dagger thrust in the heart.

Yes, your pride must be immense,
For, thanks to our cowardice,
Nothing equals your power,
Except your fragility.

But all power on earth
Dies when its abuse grows too great,
And he who can suffer and keep silent
Withdraws from you in tears.

Whatever evil he endures,
His sad role is the finest.
I still prefer our torture
To your trade of executioner.

Alfred De Musset

Translation generated by Poésies 123 with assistance from the deepseek-chat artificial-intelligence model.

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