Poem: “Impression Fausse” by Paul Verlaine

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Impression Fausse

Dame mouse patters
Black against the shadow grey;
Dame mouse patters
Grey against the black.

Hear the bed-time bell!
Sleep forthwith, good prisoners;
Hear the bed-time bell!
You must go to sleep.

No disturbing dream!
Think of nothing but your loves:
No disturbing dream,
Of the fair ones think!

Moonlight clear and bright!
Some one of the neighbors snores;
Moonlight clear and bright—
He is troublesome.

Comes a pitchy cloud
Creeping o’er the faded moon;
Comes a pitchy cloud—
See the grey dawn creep!

Dame mouse patters
Pink across an azure ray;
Dame mouse patters….
Sluggards, up! ’tis day!

Translated by Gertrude Hall

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