Liberté/Liberty by French Poet Paul Eluard

Haggadah Section: Songs

Liberty, in original French,  Liberté, is a 1942 poem by French poet Paul Eluard. It is an ode to liberty written during the Nazi occupation of France.

1. Sur mes cahiers d’écolier Sur mon pupitre et les arbres Sur le sable sur la neige J’écris ton nom  2. Sur toutes les pages lues Sur toutes les pages blanches Pierre sang papier ou cendre J’écris ton nom  3. Sur les images dorées Sur les armes des guerriers Sur la couronne des rois J’écris ton nom  4. Sur la jungle et le désert Sur les nids sur les genêts Sur l’écho de mon enfance J’écris ton nom  5. Sur les merveilles des nuits Sur le pain blanc des journées Sur les saisons fiancées J’écris ton nom  6. Sur tous mes chiffons d’azur Sur l’étang soleil moisi Sur le lac lune vivante J’écris ton nom  7. Sur les champs sur l’horizon Sur les ailes des oiseaux Et sur le moulin des ombres J’écris ton nom  8. Sur chaque bouffée d’aurore Sur la mer sur les bateaux Sur la montagne démente J’écris ton nom  9. Sur la mousse des nuages Sur les sueurs de l’orage Sur la pluie épaisse et fade J’écris ton nom  10. Sur les formes scintillantes Sur les cloches des couleurs Sur la vérité physique J’écris ton nom  11. Sur les sentiers éveillés Sur les routes déployées Sur les places qui débordent J’écris ton nom  (...) 18. Sur mes refuges détruits Sur mes phares écroulés Sur les murs de mon ennui J’écris ton nom  19. Sur l’absence sans désir Sur la solitude nue Sur les marches de la mort J’écris ton nom  20. Sur la santé revenue Sur le risque disparu Sur l’espoir sans souvenir J’écris ton nom  21. Et par le pouvoir d’un mot Je recommence ma vie Je suis né pour te connaître Pour te nommer  Liberté.

On my school notebooks On my school desk and the trees On the sand on the snow I write your name  On all the pages read On all the white pages Stone, blood, paper or ash I write your name  On the golden images On the warriors’ weapons On the kings’ crown I write your name  On the jungle and the desert On the nests on the brooms On the echo of my childhood I write your name  On the wonders of the nights On the white bread of the days On the engaged seasons I write your name  On all my rags of azure On the pond mildewed sun On the living lake of moonlight I write your name  On the fields on the horizon On the birds’ wings And on the mill of shadows I write your name  On each whiff of dawn On the sea on the boats On the insane mountain I write your name  On the foam of the clouds On the sweat of the storm On the thick and dull rain I write your name  On the scintillating figures On the bells of colors On the physical truth I write your name  On the awaken paths On the unfurled roads On the overflowing squares I write your name  On the lamp that is alight On the lamp that dies out On my reunited houses I write your name  On the fruit cut in two Of the mirror and of my room On my bed, an empty shell I write your name  On my gourmand and tender dog On his pricked-up ears On his clumsy paw I write your name  On the springboard of my door On the familiar objects On the flood of the blessed fire I write your name  On any granted flesh On my friends’ forehead On each outstretched hand I write your name  On the window of surprises On the attentive lips Well above the silence I write your name  On my destroyed shelters On my crumbled beacons On the walls of my boredom I write your name  On the absence without desire On the bare solitude On the steps of death I write your name  On the returning health On the disappearing risk On the unremembering hope I write your name  And by the power of a word I started my life anew I was born to know you To name you  Liberty.

Source:  
Paul Eluard
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