Love

Serenade

by Victor Hugo 1802–1885

Translated by Henry F. Chorley (1888) · From Various Pieces

Love

When the voice of thy lute at the eve
Charmeth the ear,
In the hour of enchantment believe
What I murmur near.
That the tune can the Age of Gold
With its magic restore.
Play on, play on, my fair one,
Play on for evermore.

When thy laugh like the song of the dawn
Riseth so gay
That the shadows of Night are withdrawn
And melt away,
I remember my years of care
And misgiving no more.
Laugh on, laugh on, my fair one,
Laugh on for evermore.

When thy sleep like the moonlight above
Lulling the sea,
Doth enwind thee in visions of love,
Perchance, of me!
I can watch so in dream that enthralled me,
Never before!
Sleep on, sleep on, my fair one!
Sleep on for evermore.

✦ ✦ ✦

French: "Quand tu chantes."

MLA

Hugo, Victor. “Serenade.” Translated by Henry F. Chorley. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/hugo/88/.

Chicago

Hugo, Victor. “Serenade.” Translated by Henry F. Chorley. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/hugo/88/.

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