Product Description
This is a setting of my father's translation of a poem by the Renaissance poet Pierre de Ronsard
the idea being the old theme of "Gather ye rosebuds while you may" ...
The old poet advises the object of his love to make the most of young life and he remembers his own youth with nostalgic regret.
As gleams the rosebud in the month of May,
in her first flush of youth and velvet flower,
rendering Heaven jealous of her colour,
brimming with dawn tears at the break of day.
Within her petals love and grace both dwell,
perfuming all the gardens and the trees.
Yet stricken by the rain or heat,
she dies swooning away, with petals all unfurled;
and so it was, fresh in your tender years,
when earth and sky lauded your comeliness.
Fate has struck you down.Ashes alone are left.
In tender memory receive my tears,
a sad libation to refresh these posies,
so that, alive or dead, you are but roses.
©S N Solomons
Comme on voit sur la branche au mois de May la rose,
En sa belle jeunesse, en sa première fleur,
Rendre le ciel jaloux de sa vive couleur,
Quand lAube de ses pleurs au point du jour larrose:
La grâce dans sa feuille, et lamour se repose,
Embaumant les jardins et les arbres dodeur ;
Mais battue ou de pluie ou dexcessive ardeur,
Languissante elle meurt, feuille à feuille déclose.
Ainsi en ta première et jeune nouveauté,
Quand la Terre et le Ciel honoraient ta beauté,
La Parque ta tuée, et cendre tu reposes.
Pour obsèques reçoy mes larmes et mes pleurs,
Ce vase pleine de lait, ce panier plein de fleurs,
Afin que vif et mort ton corps ne soit que roses.
Pierre Ronsard 1524-1585
Performed by the composer
If you would like the score, please enter the following reference in the search box on Sheet Music Plus: S0.620725
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.