One Evening

Alcools ~ One Evening written by Guillaume Apollinaire translated by A. S. Kline

Alcools: Un soir.

Link to further information

An eagle descends from this sky white with archangels
And you sustain me
Let them tremble a long while all these lamps
Pray pray for me
 
The city’s metallic and it’s the only star
Drowned in your blue eyes
When the tramways run spurting pale fire
Over the twittering birds

And all that trembles in your eyes of my dreams
That a lonely man drinks
Under flames of gas red like a false dawn
O clothed your arm is lifted

See the speaker stick his tongue out at the listeners
A phantom has committed suicide
The apostle of the fig-tree hangs and slowly rots
Let us play this love out then to the end

Bells with clear chimes announce your birth
See
The streets are garlanded and the palms advance
Towards thee