Eastern Day

Marceline Desbordes-Valmore

It was a day as fine as this day here
Which-to ruin all-love set on fire.

It was a day of divine munificence
When eternity strolls in the sky's blue expanse;
When, escaping from her pressing chain,
The earth is free to play, a child again.
It was like a mother's kisses everywhere,
A long dream wandering in the fleeting hour,
Hours of birds, of scent, of the sun's blaze,
Forgetful of all except the one great prize.

Two of us!...One too many, when love's at play,
To save oneself...Alas! There were two of us.
To protect us from ourselves, no witnesses.
Never did we need others as that day
We needed them! He, leaning all too closely
Upon my soul, with his soul dazed my eyes;
That double flame dazzled and blinded me,
And I saw all too well, when I saw the skies.

To save myself, I was much too naïve;
To forget him...Well, I'm still alive!

It was a day as fine as this day here
Which-to ruin all-love set on fire.