The Women

Poem by Guillaume Apollinaire Collection AlcoolsThemes DeathPeriod 20th century

In the vintner’s house the women are sewing
Lenchen fill the stove and put the coffee water
On it – The cat stretches after warming itself
– Gertrude and her neighbor Martin finally marry

The blind nightingale tried to sing
But screeching with fright it trembled in its cage
That cypress over there looks like the pope on a journey
Under the snow – The postman has just stopped

To chat with the new schoolmaster
– This winter is very cold the wine will be very good
– The deaf and lame sacristan is dying
– The old burgomaster’s daughter embroiders a stole

For the priest’s feast day The forest over there
Thanks to the wind sang in the grave voice of a great organ
The dream Herr Traum appeared with his sister Frau Sorge
Kaethi you haven’t mended these stockings well

– Bring the coffee the butter and the slices of bread
The marmalade the lard a pot of milk
– A little more coffee Lenchen please
– You’d think the wind was saying Latin phrases

– A little more coffee Lenchen please
– Lotte are you sad O little heart – I think she’s in love
– God keep us – As for me I love only myself
– Hush Now grandmother says her rosary

– I need rock candy Leni I’m coughing
– Pierre takes his ferret to hunt rabbits
The wind made all the fir trees dance in a ring
Lotte love makes one sad – Ilse life is sweet

Night was falling The vineyards with twisted vines
Became in the darkness ossuaries
In snow and folded there lay shrouds
And dogs were barking at the sullen passersby

The sacristan is dead listen The church bell
Was softly ringing the sacristan’s death
Lise you must stir up the stove that’s going out
The women crossed themselves in the wavering night

September 1901 – May 1902

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-the-women-guillaume-apollinaire/