Translation from Anne Perrier's "all earthly things..."
Beautiful poems at Beauty Will Save the World lately, as usual. I loved this one by Anne Perrier. I had never heard of Perrier before. I am going to offer my translation first and then the original.
All earthly things
One must love them in passing
And gingerly carry them
And with a low voice sing to them
Holding on letting go
By turns not clinging so
More than losing them one day
Suddenly giving them away
Like a ticket to some place
And consenting to lose that face
Toutes les choses de la terre
Il faudrait les aimer passagères
Et les porter au bout des doigts
Et les chanter à basse voix
Les garder les offrir
Tour à tour n’y tenir
Davantage qu’un jour les perdre
Tout à l’heure les rendre
Comme un billet de voyage
Et consentir à perdre leur visage
Not at all sure I have the idioms right, I'd welcome feedback.
mostly poetry stuff