Song for Her

Poem by Paul Verlaine Collection FleshThemes LovePeriod 19th century

They tell me you are fair
And that every fair woman is faithless,
They even add “” like the wave “”.
I laugh at their empty talk!
Your eyes are the most beautiful in the world
And for your breast I am eager.

They tell me you are dark,
That a dark woman has eyes of embers
And that a heart seeking fortune
Is burned there… Oh what fine nonsense!
Round and fresh as the moon,
Lively your throat with strawberry tips!

They tell me of you, chestnut-haired:
She is dull, and red-haired too pink.
I don’t give a damn for that fiddle-faddle,
And in you I love everything
From your hair, fountain
Of ebony or gold (and say, oh place
Them on my heart), to your queenly feet.

Paul Verlaine

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

Text published on Poésies 123: https://www.poesies123.com/en/poem-song-for-her-paul-verlaine/