Amicale

If you want me to love again

 

If you want me to love again,
Give me back the age of love;
In the twilight of my days
Join, if it is possible, the dawn.

Of the beautiful places where the god of wine
With Love holds his empire,
Time, which takes me by the hand,
Warns me that I must retire.

From his inflexible rigour
Let us at least draw some advantage.
Who has not the spirit of his age,
Has all the misfortune of his age.

Let us leave to the beautiful youth
Its mad flights of fancy.
We live only two moments:
Let there be one for wisdom.

"What! for ever you flee from me,
Tenderness, delusion, folly,
Gifts of heaven, that comforted me
From life's bitterness!

We die twice, I see it well:
To cease to love and to be lovable,
It is an unbearable death;
To cease to live, it is nothing."

Thus I lamented the loss
Of the errors of my early years;
And my soul, with open desires,
Regretted its misguidance.

From heaven then deigning to descend,
Friendship came to my rescue;
She was perhaps as tender,
But not so keen as Love.

Touched by her new beauty,
And with her light illuminated,
I followed her; but I wept
To be able to follow only her.

Voltaire

 

Poem proposed by Denis Huber

original language : french