Poem: “I’ve Seen Again The One Child: Verily” by Paul Verlaine

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French Literature – French Poetry – Paul Verlaine – Poems by Paul Verlaine
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I’ve Seen Again The One Child: Verily

I’ve seen again the One child: verily,
I felt the last wound open in my breast,
The last, whose perfect torture doth attest
That on some happy day I too shall die!

Good icy arrow, piercing thoroughly!
Most timely came it from their dreams to wrest
The sluggish scruples laid too long to rest,—
And all my Christian blood hymned fervently.

I still hear, still I see! O worshipped rule
Of God! I know at last how comfortful
To hear and see! I see, I hear alway!

O innocence, O hope! Lowly and mild,
How I shall love you, sweet hands of my child,
Whose task shall be to close our eyes one day!
“SON, THOU MUST LOVE ME! SEE—” MY SAVIOUR SAID

“Son, thou must love me! See—” my Saviour said,
“My heart that glows and bleeds, my wounded side,
My hurt feet that the Magdalene, wet-eyed,
Clasps kneeling, and my tortured arms outspread

“To bear thy sins. Look on the cross, stained red!
The nails, the sponge, that, all, thy soul shall guide
To love on earth where flesh thrones in its pride,
My Body and Blood alone, thy Wine and Bread.

“Have I not loved thee even unto death,
O brother mine, son in the Holy Ghost?
Have I not suffered, as was writ I must,

“And with thine agony sobbed out my breath?
Hath not thy nightly sweat bedewed my brow,
O lamentable friend that seek’st me now?”

HOPE SHINES—AS IN A STABLE A WISP OF STRAW

Hope shines—as in a stable a wisp of straw.
Fear not the wasp drunk with his crazy flight!
Through some chink always, see, the moted light!
Propped on your hand, you dozed—But let me draw

Cool water from the well for you, at least,
Poor soul! There, drink! Then sleep. See, I remain,
And I will sing a slumberous refrain,
And you shall murmur like a child appeased.

Noon strikes. Approach not, Madam, pray, or call….
He sleeps. Strange how a woman’s light footfall
Re-echoes through the brains of grief-worn men!

Noon strikes. I bade them sprinkle in the room.
Sleep on! Hope shines—a pebble in the gloom.
—When shall the Autumn rose re-blossom,—when?

Translated by Gertrude Hall

< < < Give Ear Unto The Gentle Lay
Sleep, Darksome, Deep > > >

French Literature – French Poetry – Paul Verlaine – Poems by Paul Verlaine

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I’ve Seen Again The One Child: Verily

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