Salome

Poem by Guillaume Apollinaire Collection AlcoolsThemes LovePeriod 20th century

So that John the Baptist may smile once more
Sire I would dance better than the seraphim
Mother tell me why you are sad
In a countess’s gown beside the Dauphin

My heart beat beat so hard at his word
When I danced in the fennel listening
And I embroidered lilies on a banner
Meant to flutter at the end of his staff

And for whom do you want me to embroider it now
His staff blooms again on the banks of the Jordan
And all the lilies when your soldiers oh King Herod
Took him away withered in my garden

Come all with me over there beneath the avenues
Do not weep oh pretty fool of the king
Take this head instead of your bauble and dance
Do not touch it his brow mother is already cold

Sire walk in front trabants walk behind
We shall dig a hole and bury him in it
We shall plant flowers and dance in a ring
Until the hour when I shall have lost my garter
The king his snuffbox
The princess her rosary
The priest his breviary

Guillaume Apollinaire

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-salome-guillaume-apollinaire/