| RHYMING ADDRESSES | |
| Stéphane Mallarmé | tr. Alistair Elliot |
|
Rue, au 23, Ballu. J'exprime Sitôt Juin Monsieur Degas La satisfaction qu'il rime Avec la fleur des syringas. *** Tapi sous ton chaud mac-ferlane, Ce billet, quand tu le reçois, Lis le haut; 6, cour Saint-François, Rue, est-ce Moreau? cher Verlaine. *** Rue, et 8, de la Barouillère Sur son piano s'applique Jouer, fée autant qu'écolière, Mademoiselle Wrotnowska. *** Rue, ouïs! vingt-deux Lavoisier Madame Degrandi qui lance La richesse de son gosier Aussi haut que notre silence. |
To 23 Ballu; each time It's June I tell Monsieur Degas I am so pleased to hear him rhyme With the flower of the syringas. *** Huddled beneath your warm macfarlane Read out this note without one cough: It's 6, St Francis Court - it's off Moreau, I think, my dear Verlaine. *** At number 8, de la Barouillère, You can hear Miss Wrotnowska play Her piano, just as much a fair- y as a schoolgirl, every day. *** Quick, 22 Lavoisier Road, Hear? - where Madame Degrandi throws The musical riches of her throat As high as our own silence goes. |
The poet claimed that all the letters arrived!
Transl. copyright © Alistair Elliot 2002