Poem – L’Oiseau Sauvage

prof_frenchtastic — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:36:40 +0000

L’OISEAU SAUVAGE

This poem by female French writer Louisa Paulin [1888-1944] is about an unsuspecting and inexperienced wild little bird who is thirsty for adventures. He pleads with his father for permission to visit the countryside, but his more cautious father begs him in return not to leave the nest because of the many dangers the little bird will encounter outside. Will the father convince him to stay? That’s what you are about to discover in this nice poem, which I have the pleasure to read to you. And let’s have a little chat about the meaning of this poem after you’ve listened and read it.

L’Oiseau sauvage

Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, je veux voir du pays.
Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, je reste au bord du nid.

Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, notre arbre est trop petit.
Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, je reste auprès du nid.

Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, je vole près d’ici.
Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, je vois encor le nid.

Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, que le monde est joli !
Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, ô mon père, ils m’ont pris !

Louisa PAULIN, Rythmes et cadences
© 1947 Editions du Languedoc

They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, I want to see some country.
They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, I remain by the nest.

They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, our tree is too small.
They will take you (away), wild little bird.
—-Father, my father, I remain by the nest.

They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, I fly nearby.
They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, I can still see the nest.

They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, what a beautiful world.
They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, ô my father, they took me away !

Poem – Mon Père

prof_frenchtastic — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:38:14 +0000

Mon Père

Bonjour,
This poem by Belgian poet Maurice Carême, [1899-1978] expresses the love and sentiments of gratitude the poet holds for his father. It’s a nostalgic reminiscence of his childhood plays with his dear father. I once had to recite this poem from memory in front of all my classmates when I was 7 in CE-1, but it didn’t go too well, I froze. … (CE1 in the French school system is the equivalent of the 3rd grade), (OH GOODNESS!!! where did the time go?).

Mon père

Mon père aimé, mon père à moi.
Toi qui me fais bondir sur tes genoux,
Comme un chamois.

Que pourrais-je te dire
Que tu ne sais déjà ?

Il fait si doux
Quand ton sourire
Éclaire tout
sous notre toit !

Je me sens fort, je me sens roi
quand je marche à côté de toi.

Beloved father, father of mine
You who make me jump on your knees
Like a chamois.

What could I tell you
That you don’t know know already?

It feels so peaceful
When your smile
Brightens everything
Under our roof.

I feel strong, I feel like a king
When I walk by your side.

FrenchTasticPeople.com » Poems

Poem – L’Oiseau Sauvage

L’OISEAU SAUVAGE

Poem – Mon Père

Mon Père