The Caresses of the Eyes

Poem by Auguste Angellier Period 19th century

The caresses of the eyes are the most adorable;
They bring the soul to the limits of the being,
And deliver secrets otherwise ineffable,
In which only the depths of the heart can appear.

The purest kisses are coarse beside them;
Their language is stronger than all words;
Nothing but they express the immortal things
That pass at moments through our frivolous beings.

When age has aged the mouth and the smile
Whose fold has slowly filled with sorrows,
They still keep their limpid tenderness;

Made to console, to intoxicate and to charm,
They have the sweetness, the ardors and the charms!
And what other caress has passed through tears?

Auguste Angellier

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

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