Sentimental Colloquy, Poem by Paul Verlaine

In the old, deserted and icy park
Two forms passed by just now.

Their eyes are dead and their lips are slack,
And one can barely hear their words.

In the old, deserted and icy park
Two specters evoked the past.

– Do you remember our former ecstasy?
– Why then do you want me to remember it?

– Does your heart still beat at my name alone?
Do you still see my soul in dreams? – No.

Ah! the beautiful days of unutterable happiness
When we joined our mouths! – It’s possible.

– How blue was the sky, and grand, hope!
– Hope has fled, defeated, toward the black sky.

Thus they walked through the wild oats,
And the night alone heard their words.

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-sentimental-colloquy-paul-verlaine/