Joan of Arc

Poem by Alfred De Musset Collection ArrayPeriod 19th century

RECITATIVE

I seek in vain the rest that flees from me.
My heart is full of the sorrows of France.
Even in these desert places, in shadow and silence,
The misfortune of my mourning homeland pursues me.

SONG

Dark forest, solitary retreat,
Silent witnesses of my secret sorrows,
From my sight, of my poor country
Hide at least the shame and misery.
Sad branches, if we are defeated,
Hide the roof of my old father;
Perhaps, alas! I shall see him no more!

RECITATIVE

All rests in the valley.
The nightingale sings beneath the foliage
Of melancholy and love.
Already the dawn awakens nature;
Already shines beneath the greenery
The gentle light of a beautiful day.
What is that sound in the countryside?
The bugle sounds at the foot of our ramparts!
I see the banners of the stranger
Floating in the distance on the mountain.

SONG

Have you abandoned us,
Guardian angels of the homeland?
Pity us if God forgets us;
If He remembers us, come!
I thought I felt the earth tremble.
I thought the sky answered,
And in a ray of light,
From the depths of the woods a voice called me.
It is not a human voice:
It seemed to me it came from the heavens.
Mother of Christ, is it yours?
Do you pity the tears that flow from my eyes?
Yes, the Holy Spirit enlightens me!
I feel a vengeful God’s
Strength and wrath
Descend into my heart.
– To war!

Alfred De Musset

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-joan-of-arc-alfred-de-musset/