Written on the Tomb of a Little Child by the Sea, Poem by Victor Hugo

Poem by Victor Hugo Collection Les Rayons et les OmbresPeriod 19th century

XXXVIII

WRITTEN ON THE TOMB OF A LITTLE CHILD BY THE SEA

Old ivy, fresh turf, grass, reeds, corollas;
Church where the spirit sees the God it dreams of elsewhere;
Flies that murmur ineffable words
In the ear of the shepherd asleep among the flowers;

Winds, waves, stormy hymn, endless choir, countless voices;
Woods that make the serious passerby dream;
Fruits that fall from the impenetrable and dark tree,
Stars that fall from the mysterious sky;

Birds with joyful cries, wave with deep laments;
Cold lizard of old walls crouching in the stones;
Plains that spread your breaths upon the waves;
Sea where the pearl hatches, earth where the ear of corn sprouts;

Nature from which all things come, nature to which all things return,
Leaves, nests, sweet branches that the air dares not touch,
Make no noise around this tomb;
Let the child sleep and the mother weep!
June 21, 1840.

Victor Hugo

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