Waurpel

(Old) Why a song in Chapter 42?

Added 2022-04-07 21:58:13 +0000 UTC

The birds will hear you

Please do not cry for me

The other birds will hear you

And their tears as well

Will be shed, but for you

I am but an ageing crow

Whose wing can fly no more

But you are a young swallow

Whose yet to see the shore

So do not cry for me.

The other birds will hear you

I have seen many dew

And have flown many winds

Yet when I’m with you

I forget it all, but your grins

So do not cry for me

Do not grieve for me

Do not shed tears for me

I want you to feel the wind

And your laughter to fill the clouds

When this dreams becomes true

Only then, please sing a song

And I will shed your tears

While the other birds love you for me

Originally, the chapter was not going to have an original composition as a song, but instead a translation of "La balade de l'oiseleur" (Paul Bernard 1888) or more commonly known as "Ça fait peur aux oiseau" (Marie Dubas 1928) and most recently "Lisandre" (Various artist 1968 onward).

The song (Which you can listen to here) is a melancholic poem with tragic intonations. Throughout my youth, my mother sang it to me countless time as I went to sleep and it resonated with me greatly.

Unfortunately, as I began the work to translate it, I came to the realisation that times have changed.

On top of being filled with "french-romantism" that would fall flat to an international audience, it also has implications of gaslighting and self-harm that would not pass in the modern context, so I instead created a song in hommage to the song of my youth which led me to sleep on many nights.

So please, allow the voice of Bertrand Gosselin permeate you and if you're curious, read this (flawed) translation:

Lisandre