Charles d'Orléans, Poésie,
ed. Jacques Charpier, Paris, Seghers, 1958.
Translation (c) Jeay and Garay.

127. [#1]

On Valentine's Day, the bright sun,
Bringing its candle light,
Came one morning not long ago,
Privately in my closed room.
Its brightness, reaching me,
Woke me up from my troubled sleep,
Where I had slept the whole night
On the hard bed of melancholy thoughts.

That same day, to share their spoils
Of Love's goods, all the birds
Got together and, speaking their Latin,
Sang out loud, asking for the livery
That Nature had ordered for to them,
To dress for their chosen mates.
I could not fall asleep again because of their cries,
On the hard bed of melancholy thoughts.

Then, soaking my cushion with tears,
I lamented my harsh destiny
With these words: "Birds, I see you will possess
All the pleasure and joy you desire;
Each of you has a well-suited mate,
But I do not, since treacherous Death
Has taken my mate, for which I languish in mourning
On the hard bed of melancholy thoughts.

Those who belong to the company of lovers
Choose Saint Valentine this year;
I stay alone, deprived of Comfort
On the hard bed of melancholy thoughts.

201. [#2]

Is that all you bring to me
On your feast day, Saint Valentine?
Will my only faint glimmer of hope
Prove the false hope of the disappointed?

Foolishly, you exhort me
To be merry this morning.
Is that all you bring to me
On your feast day, Saint Valentine?
You do not bring me anything,
Except bona dies in Latin,
An old relic in old satin;
You bestow such gifts.
Is that all you bring to me?

[click from lifecycle - widowhood/age]

207. [#3]

Greet the company for me
While you are there, enjoying yourself,
And tell them that I would gladly be
With them, but I am not able,
Because old age has me in its power.

In the old days, pretty Youth
Controled me; alas! Now I have lost it.
For that, I pray you, excuse me!
Greet the company for me
While you are there, enjoying yourself.

I was in love, now it is over,
And I had a good life at Paris;
Farewell, good times, I shall not see you again!
I used to fasten my belt tight,
And now Age wants me to untie it:
Greet the company for me!

Charles d'Orléans. Rondeaux de mérancolie,
selection by Jacques Bussy, Paris, GML, 1972.
Translation (c)Jeay and Garay

30. [#4]

Let us be wise from now on,
My heart, you and me, and make things better;
We should not longer believe
Our ears and our eyes.

We must spend our time peacefully,
Since we belong to the ranks of the old.
Let us be wise from now on,
My heart, you and me, and make things better.

If we could be young again
By wishing, by God
We would make fireworks far and near;
But the brightest sparks are behind us, now.
Let us be wise from now on.