France – Looking Forward Posted by Tim Hildreth on Nov 3, 2020 in Culture, Music, Vocabulary
Last week I promised a change of pace, so while the world continues to grapple with Covid, this week I’ll keep the coverage to a minimum. Someday this global pandémie (pandemic) will be over and we’ll be ready to get back to life.
As the numbers continue to grow, France, after just 10 days of trying le couvre-feu, has re-instituted nationwide quarantine rules. Less stringent than last time, the new rules have nonetheless already started to impact life around the country. Today is also Election day in the United States. And while a record number of people have already cast ballots, the world will be watching today … and I’ll be casting my vote!
What next?
No one quite knows when this will all end, but thinking about what comes next can help us to get through the unknown. When it is over, I know one of the first thigs I’m going to do is to go see all of les gens que j’aime (y compris en France!) (the people who I love, including in France!).
| J’aurais pu traîner le long de mes rêves | I could have lingered along the edges of my dreams (a poetic way of saying “I could have lounged in bed all day … “) |
| J’aurais pu, l’air de rien | I could have, just like that |
| Attendre ici que la journée s’achève | Waited here for the day to end |
| Sortir le chien, si j’en avais un | Take out the dog, if I had one |
| J’aurais pu m’inventer des inventaires | I could have invented inventories |
| Refaire et faire le point | Taken stock and retaken it |
| Mais ce matin j’ai bien plus cher à faire | But this morning I have more important to do |
| Bamdabadabam | Bamdabadabam |
| Ce matin, j’irai dire aux gens que j’aime | This morning, I’ll go tell the people I love |
| Ou juste merci d’être ceux qu’ils sont | Or just thanks for being what they are |
| Qu’ils changent mes heures amères en poèmes | That they transform my bitter hours into poems |
| Et tous ces mots que nous taisons | And all those things that we keep quiet |
| Ce matin, j’irai dire aux gens que j’aime | This morning, I’ll declare to those I love |
| Oh! Comme ils comptent pour moi chaque instant | Oh, how they matter to me in every moment |
| Des mots doux c’est mieux qu’un beau requiem | Kind words are better than a requiem |
| Et les dire c’est important | And saying them matters |
| Et dire avant tant qu’il est temps | And say it before it’s time / too late |
| On veut toujours attendre la prochaine | We always want to wait for the next |
| Remettre au lendemain | Put off till the next day |
| C’est bien plus simple d’émettre des haines | It’s so much simpler to put out hate |
| Bien anonymes tapis dans son coin | Anonymously huddled in one’s corner |
| Et coulent nos vies et l’eau des fontaines | And our lives flow on like the water in fountains |
| La vie du quotidien | Daily life |
| Et passent les jours et puis les semaines | And the days go by and then the weeks |
| Bamdabadabam | Bamdabadabam |
| Ce matin, j’irai dire aux gens que j’aime | This morning, I’ll go tell those I love |
| Ou juste merci d’être ceux qu’ils sont | Just a small thanks for being who they are |
| Qu’ils changent mes heures amères en poèmes | That they change my bitter hours into poems |
| Et tous les mots que nous cachons | And all the things that we keep hidden |
| Ce matin, j’irai dire aux gens que j’aime | This morning, I’ll go to the people I love |
| Oh! Comme ils comptent pour moi chaque instant | Oh, how they count in my life each instant |
| Des mots doux c’est mieux qu’un grand chrysanthème* | Kind words are better than a big chrysanthemum |
| Et le dire c’est important | And they are important to say |
| Le rappeler de temps en temps | Remember it from time to time |
| J’aurais pu traîner le long de mes rêves | I could have lingered along with my dreams |
| J’aurais pu l’air de rien | I could have an air of nothing |
| Attendre ici que la journée s’achève | Waiting here for the day to end |
| Bamdabadabam | Bamdabadabam |
| On devrait dire aux gens quand on les aime | We should tell people when we love them |
| Trouver les phrases, trouver le temps | Find the words, find the time |
| Qu’ils changent nos heures amères en poèmes | That they change our bitter hours into poems |
| On devrait tout se dire avant | We should say it all before |
| Il faut le dire aux gens quand on les aime | You have to tell people when you love them |
| Comme ils comptent pour nous chaque instant | How they count for us at every moment |
| Les mots doux c’est mieux qu’un beau requiem | Kind words are better than a requiem |
| Et tant qu’on est là bien vivant | And as long as we’re here, alive |
| Tout se dire tant qu’il est temps | Say it all while there is still time |
* In France, les chrysanthèmes are the traditional flowers of mourning. Around the Toussaint1A very different Toussaint this year due to both Covid and the reinforced security at churches following the recent attacks in France. you will find them on tombs in French cemeteries. The tradition, according to this article, dates from la Grande Guerre when the most readily available flower to mark the armistice (en novembre) was the mum (which grows in the fall).
Photo by Helena Lopes from Pexels
- 1A very different Toussaint this year due to both Covid and the reinforced security at churches following the recent attacks in France.
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About the Author: Tim Hildreth
Since my first trip to France at 16, I have been a passionate francophile. I love the language, food, music, art, people, and more that make France and la Francophonie in general such an amazing part of our global community. Having lived in France and studied the language and culture for over 35 years, it is my great pleasure to be able to share a little bit of my deep love with you through this blog.