La femme au milieu [English translation]

White streaks in her hair,

years showing on her skin,

all this fickle time

she bears on her back.

She's the woman you can see

in the middle of the picture.

In her generous heart

hidden under her knitted jumper

one can make out her sweetheart,

this man gone too soon.

She's the woman you can see

in the middle of the picture.

Everything in her home is welcoming,

from the table to the trinkets.

Though there's not much talking going on

the words are quite meaningful1

Among the living and those,

those that she misses.2

She shares her meals

and her rest with them.

She sits in the centre,

in the middle of the picture.

She used to do her best,

the right gesture, the right word.

So much love in her eyes

covered us with a coat.

She's the woman you can see

in the middle of the picture.

In her joyful garden

I built castles

and wonderful worlds

where I was a hero.

Everything was delicious,

her hugs, her cakes.

It made everything smoother,

the cocoa of

the woman you can see

in the middle of the picture.

And then, on a rainy morning,

in her bed, in her grave,

a last breath, a farewell,

and this bloody weather.

Everything is so silent

without these little phone calls.

Everything is heavy, painful,

everything is empty, much too empty without

the woman you can see

in the middle of the picture.

As rain is falling on the ground

Earth is your new home3

Pieces of a nice noble wood

are keeping her warm now,

the woman you can see

in the middle of the picture.

Sometimes I envy the sky,

sometimes my heart gets heavy.

How very lucky they are

to have you up above!

I feel sad yet happy

to have been granted this gift,

to have known your eyes,

your love and your words.

I still keep you with me a little,

you the woman standing

in the middle of the picture.

1. I don't really know this "fort en propos" expression. "fort en qq ch" usually means "with a high sth. contents", like "fort en alcool" for "with a high alcohol contents", so this is like "with a high talk/saying contents". "fort en gueule" can also mean "a loudmouth". Oh well...2. This is a very unusual way of saying, I'm not quite sure that's what he actually means, but that's my best guess3. frankly I'm not sure what he means. "reprendre le flambeau" ("take back the torch") is a fixed expression meaning "take the succession" or "continue the work of someone else". I just guessed the meaning from the context.