Help for a headstone... do you speak French?

Question

I am trying to help someone find a French poem for his father's headstone. All he knows are a few pieces that are translations, and maybe rough translations, that he heard his father repeat.

Here's his notes:

"the translation asked "Little leaf, little leaf, detached from the stem, where are you going?" "I go where all things go..." and it goes on, as the leaf responds.

At times, he translated it as "Little flower" which has made it that much harder to find. And, of course, he would recite it primarily in French, which I don't know well, and just translate portions.

It can't be any more recent than the 1930s, and is probably older."

And that's all we've got! Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)

Thanks for the suggestions so far... I did want to note that the poem offered is not the right poem, as I don't want people to think it's been figured out. That poem is the work of a contemporary French poet posting her work online, it appears. The poem in question is much older, as his father most likley heard it in school in the 1920s. Thank you!

Answer 1

I wanted to help so badly, but I can't find it. I searched for about 30 minutes. I Found a great site though. It tranlates poems into English. I will tell you if I find it. P.S. when I originally searched the poem and went to the site a poem came up but it was blurry and it was in the Greece catagory.

Good Luck,
Chelsea



I updated my comment so that I could give you the English translation to singlesockcollectors poem: here it is



Leaf turns brown fall, you have just flown away yourself, branch patronizes, you want to separate yourself. This life source, that
formerly nourished you, Asserted, embellished, nevertheless is not dried up!

As a burning love, in violent pushed, This velvets nectar knew to stuff you. This tree, that has you it does? You in has you it too given? Of a too perfect love would have you it flooded?

The life that climbs in him, and cannot flow itself, NEEDS this puit, where she can s’épancher itself. The vigor of the summer,
where you puisas the joy OF A delighted happiness, the abandons without you.

Small leaf turns brown, where go you to put yourself? Will rejoin you foam it and his cold dew? Do not go you to take mourning, in the frozen earth, With of other feuillées, that already are
withered.

Dauphine 30/08/2004

Check the site

Answer 2

I didn't have much luck finding this poem, but I came upon an MSN group you could join that may be able to help you out.

http://groups.msn.com/classicalmania/welcome.msnw

It's a group for those interested in classical music, art and poetry. Good Luck!

Answer 3

Feuille rousse d’automne, tu viens de t’envoler,
De la branche patronne, tu te veux séparer.
Cette source de vie, qui jadis t’a nourrie,
Affirmée, embellie, n’est pourtant pas tarie !

Comme un brûlant amour, en violente poussée,
Ce nectar de velours a su te rassasier.
Cet arbre, qu’a t’il fait ? T’en a t’il trop donné ?
D’un amour trop parfait t’aurait il inondé ?

La vie qui monte en lui, et ne peut s’écouler,
A besoin de ce puit, où elle peut s’épancher.
La vigueur de l’été, où tu puisas la joie
D’un bonheur enchanté, l’abandonne sans toi.

Petite feuille rousse, où vas tu te poser ?
Rejoindras tu la mousse et sa froide rosée ?
Ne vas tu prendre deuil, en la terre gelée,
Avec d’autres feuillées, qui sont déjà fanées.


Hope this will help ya out

Answer 4

J'ai desolee -- if my French were better i would join a forum in France -- if your French is up to it, that would be my advice.
(Spell-checker wants to make Kai out of J'ai.)