The balcony

Mother of memories, mistress of mistresses,

you who are all my pleasures and all my duties,

you will remember the beauty of our caresses,

the sweetness of the hearth, the charm of the evenings,

mother of memories, mistress of mistresses.

On evenings lit by the glowing coal-fire

and evenings on the balcony, veiled with pink mist,

how soft your breast was, how kind to me was your heart!

Often we said imperishable things

on evenings lit by the glowing coal-fire.

How beautiful the sun is on warm evenings!

How deep is space! How powerful the human heart!

As I leant over you, oh queen of all adored ones,

I thought I was breathing the fragrance of your blood.

How beautiful the sun is on warm evenings!

The night would thicken like a wall around us,

and in the dark my eyes would make out yours,

and I would drink your breath, oh sweetness, oh poison!

And your feet would fall asleep in my brotherly hands.

The night would thicken like a wall around us.

I know how to evoke the moments of happiness,

I relive my past, nestling my head on your lap.

For why would I seek your languid beauties anywhere

except in your dear body and your oh-so-gentle heart?

I know how to evoke the moments of happiness!

Will those sweet words, those perfumes, those infinite kisses

be reborn from a chasm deeper than we may fathom

like suns that rise rejuvenated into the sky

after cleansing themselves in the oceans' depths?

Oh sweet words, oh perfumes, oh infinite kisses!