As-tu déjà aimé ? [English translation]

Have you ever loved

For the beauty of a gesture?

Have you ever bitten down

Into an apple, with all your teeth?

For the flavour of fruit

Its sweetness and its zest

Are you often lost to yourself?

Yes, I've loved before

For the beauty of a gesture

But the apple was unripe.

I broke my teeth.

These immature passions

These undigested loves

Often made me sick

Loves that last

Composed of bloodless lovers

And their underripe kisses

We caused language to decay

These fleeting romances

Had their pointless fevers,

And their half-ripe kisses

We scorched our lips

Because to want to love

For the beauty of a gesture

That worm in the apple

That slides between the teeth.

It corrodes the heart,

The brain, the whole body

We empty slowly

But when one dares to love

For the beauty of a gesture,

That worm in the apple

That slides between the teeth.

We mummify our hearts,

Our brains, and we leave

Their perfume therein

These fleeting romances

Make their pointless efforts

Their caresses, ragged,

Correctly on our skin