Les grands vents venus d'outremer
Passent par la ville, l'hiver,
Comme des étrangers amers.
Ils se concertent, graves et pâles,
Sur les places, et leurs sandales
Ensablent le marbre des dales.
Comme de crosses à leurs mains fortes,
Ils heurtent l'auvent et la porte
Derrière qui l'horloge est morte.
Et les adolescents amers
S'en vont avec eux vers la mers.
Those great winds from across the sea
blow through the town, in winter,
like embittered foreigners.
They gather together, grave and pale,
in the town squares, and their sandals
scatter sand over the marble of the flag-stones.
As if with crosiers in their strong hands,
they beat against the canopy and the door
behind which the clock si dead.
And the embittered youths
leave with them for the sea.
© translated by Christopher Goldsack
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