Ma mère au nord [English translation]

My mother in the north,1

My father in the south,

I amidst the mist,

The drifting Île Blanche.2

My mother,

I'm bored when away from you,

Despite the red fields,

My father adrift.

The boat is safe and sound,

It traversed les rasades3

I saw the wind, saw the waves

That severed me from my body.

The rugged, mysterious north,

The watering holes

That always lack substance.

I want to talk.

My mother in the north,

My father in the south,

I amidst the mist,

The drifting Île Blanche.

My mother,

I'm bored when away from you,

Despite the red fields,

My father adrift.

Docked at a quay

That has nothing of my flesh4.

Drove in the scorched air,

Black shadows and desert.

A house of former nobility,

Where the paint drips

Grimaces onto the walls.

I want to talk.

My mother in the north,

My father in the south,

I amidst the mist,

The drifting Île Blanche.

My mother,

I'm bored when away from you,

Despite the red fields,

My father adrift.

The landscape in painting,

Splattered with earth.

A mount of rocks to climb

To see, in the distance, my mother

Who I see, to whom I call,

But who I can't touch.

Mountains of green trees.

I want to talk.

My mother in the north,

My father in the south,

I amidst the mist,

The drifting Île Blanche.

My mother,

I'm bored when away from you,

Despite the red fields,

My father adrift.

Mountains of blue trees

The crater of Les Éboulements5

Cradle of my child

That's come or to come.

Tears in my eyes,

That flow into the Bay,

Spirit of my martyrs.

I want to talk.

My mother in the north,

My father in the south,

I amidst the mist,

The drifting Île Blanche.

My mother,

I'm bored when away from you,

Despite the red fields,

My father adrift.

1. Of the St. Lawrence river.2. Lit. 'White Isle', this refers to either an island or a defunct lightship in the St. Lawrence. I don't know that much about Québec but personally am leaning more towards the second meaning.3. An anchoring area for ships (generally when in need of repairs) located near the south shore, somewhere between Trois-Pistoles and Rimouski.4. i.e. no family connection5. The Charlevoix crater is located in the region called Les Éboulements (lit. 'the landslides').