La cage aux oiseaux [English translation]

Open, open the bird cage

Watch the birds fly away, it’s beautiful

Children, if you see

Small birds imprisoned

Open their door, let them fly free

A small thimble

With three drops of water inside,

Above their perch

An all white cuttlebone

And a little bird, sad to live in prison—

That brings sunshine into the house

Or so they will tell you

Nasty men of leisure

Old geezers

Who have only holes of air

In their heads

Once in your life

You who are not like them

Do something that will make you happy

If your landlady goes tweet tweet on her balcony with her parakeets imported from Japan

And her yellow canaries and her Bengali birds

At your turn go cootchie coo and slyly exclaim, Lord what plumage!

But my dear madam you are wanted on the third floor

And as soon as her back is turned

Even if you won’t be forgiven —

Open open the birdcage

Watch the birds fly away, it’s beautiful

Children if ever you see little birds imprisoned

Open their door let them fly free.