French Poem for a Rainy Day
This poem by Paul Verlaine inspired several songs by Debussy. (Il pleure dans mon coeur is no. 2 in the cycle Ariettes oubliées.)
Note the word play on “pleure” (weep) and “pleut” (rain) which strengthens the parallels in this rather sombre poem, comparing the rain with the poet’s weeping heart.
Il pleure dans mon cœur | Tears fall in my heart |
Il pleure dans mon cœur | Tears fall in my heart |
Comme il pleut sur la ville | As rain falls on the town |
Quelle est cette langueur | What is this weariness |
Qui pénètre mon cœur ? | That pierces my heart? |
O bruit doux de la pluie | Oh soft sound of the rain |
Par terre et sur les toits ! | On the ground and the roofs! |
Pour un cœur qui s’ennuie, | For a wearying heart, |
O le chant de la pluie ! | O the sound of the rain! |
Il pleure sans raison | Tears fall without reason |
Dans ce cœur qui s’écœure. | In this sickened heart |
Quoi ! nulle trahison ? | What! No treason? |
Ce deuil est sans raison. | This grief is without cause. |
C’est bien le pire peine | It is truly the worst grief |
De ne savoir pourquoi | Not to know why, |
Sans amour et sans haine | Without love and without hatred, |
Mon cœur a tant de peine. | My heart suffers so. |
Turned into a song, you can listen to it HERE
This has been my favorite poem since I discovered it as a student in the 60’s. I was so delighted to find it here & learn of the poet who wrote it.
Who wrote “il pleut sur la terre comme il pleut dans mon coeur” I thought it was by Victor hugo on the tombe of an infant?