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Sunday Blues

The nice thing about the weather in this country is that it seems so often to be in tune with my frame of mind. It certainly was today...
Here is a poem I wrote in 2002, which might give you a clue or two (Translation provided). Enjoy.
Je marche dans les rues de cette immense ville
Ses lumières autour, indifférentes, brillent.
Le vent balaie les feuilles et les emporte au loin
Je frissonne et mes mains sont fermées en un poing.

Brouillés par la buée qui me remplis les yeux,
Des visages apparaissent puis s'effacent peu à peu.
J'aimerai les toucher, qu'ils me donnent de l'espoir,
Mais leurs yeux sont fermés: Ils restent sans me voir.

Et me voici soudain dans un carré de vie,
L'éclat d'une fenêtre ouverte sur la nuit,
Un sourire éclatant et remplit de chaleur
Qui m'enveloppe entier et me caresse le cœur.

Au moins pour quelques temps, j'espérais me chauffer
Et trouver réconfort, sympathie, amitié.
Hélas trop rapidement le volet se referme,
Me laissant dans le froid; La nuit encore plus terne.

La lumière était vive mais son éclat fut bref
Comme l'est l'amour humain et toutes ses promesses.
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I am walking the streets of this vast city
Its lights, oblivious, shinning around.
The wind sweeps away the leaves and takes them afar.
I shiver and my hands are closed in a fist.

Blurred by the steam which is filling my eyes
Faces appear and then slowly vanish.
I would like to touch them, for them to give me hope,
But their eyes are closed: they do not see me.

And suddenly, here I am, in a bright square of life.
The glare of a window open upon the night
A bright smile full of a warmth
wrapping itself around me and stroking my heart.

I had hoped to warm myself, at least for a while,
And find comfort, sympathy, friendship.
Alas, too quickly the shutter closes itself again,
Leaving me in the cold: the night even more drab.

The light was very bright but it’s glare was so short.
Just like human love and all its promises.

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