De : Maria

Date :  Lundi 25, Juin 2001  23:11

Objet :  ta JM

so Jean-Marie, I wonder if the sun shows a little mercy with you Belgians and

stretches its rays a bit to keep you warm, too. Here in Germany, it was

beautifully hot today and I hope it stays like that because I start my holidays

in two days time.

I found a little poem for you, and I shall write it below, really to say thank

you for helping me with all those weird French expressions they use here :-))

It's not always the French I learned at school...so I do appreciate your help.

....you don't have to like the poem, "it's the thought that counts" as the

English say...and it's a poeme de Paul Verlaine titled "Paysages belges" and

the one I "give" you is subtitled "Charleroi"

...so the thought is "a belgium thought" :-))

Dans l'herbe noire

Les Kobolds vont.

Le vent profond

Pleure, on veut croire.

Quoi donc se sent?

L'avoine siffle.

Un buisson gifle

L'oeil au passant.

Plutôt des bouges

Que des maisons.

Quels horizons

De forges rouges!

On sent donc quoi?

Des gards tonnent,

Les yeux s'étonnent,

Où Charleroi?

Parfums sinistres!

Qu'est-ce que c'est?

Quoi bruissait

Comme des sistres?

Sites brutaux!

Oh! votre haleine,

Sueur humaine,

Cris des métaux!

Dans l'herbe noire

Les Kobolds vont.

Le vent profond

Pleure, on veut croire

(Paul Verlaine)

*****

Yours friendly,

Maria