“At four o'clock in the morning, in summer,
Love sleep still endures.”
— Rimbaud, Arthur. “Good Thoughts for the Morning.” Trans. Ian Kindle
“Le sommeil d’amour dure encore” oil on canvas, 16x12 inches
All summer long, my husband, Ian, spent his mornings translating Rimbaud’s poetry from its original French into English. It was early, before his work started, and before the kids woke up: a special quiet time. We would sit at the same large table, separated by bouquets of flowers. We had such a wonderful abundance of flowers all summer long, grown by our local farmer friends.
“La muse timide” gouache on paper, 7x5 inches
I would sit nearby with my sketchbook or my small easel and paint him. I liked to watch him work, peering unobtrusively through all the bouquets of flowers, much like a jungle explorer might peer through foliage to catch sight of a rare bird. I did many sketches of him throughout the summer, him sitting there behind fruit and flower. I painted from life, and also from my memory and imagination.
“Man Behind Flowers” sharpie and gouache on an old New Yorker
Now, in the middle of a cold, grey winter, I am warmed by re-reading his Rimbaud translations, which evoke memories of luxuriant blossoms, bountiful fruit, and hot summer nights. I share with you here one of my favorite Rimbaud poems: “Good Thoughts for the Morning.”
Disclaimer: Ian asks the reader to remember that he is an amateur translator; please forgive any shortcomings.
“La belle muse” gouache on paper, 7x5 inches
Good thoughts for the morning
At four o'clock in the morning, in summer,
Love sleep still endures.
Under the groves dawn evaporates
The odor of night's celebrations.
But over there in the immense worksite
Towards the sun of the Hesperides,
In shirt sleeves, the carpenters
Already stir.
In their mossy wilderness, peaceful,
They prepare the precious panels
Where the wealth of the town
Will laugh beneath fraudulent skies.
Ah! for these charming Workers
Subjects of a king of Babylon,
Venus! let the Lovers alone a bit
Whose soul has been crowned.
O Queen of Shepherds,
Bring brandy to the workers.
So that their strength may be at peace
While awaiting the bath in the sea, at noon.
—translated from French by Ian KIndle
“La muse séduisant” gouache on paper, 7x5 inches
Bonne pensée du matin
À quatre heures du matin, l'été,
Le sommeil d'amour dure encore.
Sous les bosquets l'aube évapore
L'odeur du soir fêté.
Mais là-bas dans l'immense chantier
Vers le soleil des Hesperides,
En bras de chemise, les charpentiers
Déjà s'agitent.
Dans leur désert de mousse, tranquilles,
Ils préparent les lambris précieux
Où la richesse de la ville
Rira sous de faux cieux.
Ah! pour ces Ouvriers charmants
Sujets d'un roi de Babylone,
Venus! laisse un peu les Amants,
Dont l'âme est en couronne.
O Reine des Bergers,
Porte aux travailleurs l'eau-de-vie.
Pour que leurs forces soient en paix
En attendant le bain dans la mer, à midi.
—Rimbaud, Arthur. “Bonne pensée du matin.” Rimbaud: Complete Works, Selected Letters, The University of Chicago Press, 2005, pp. 178-180.
“His realization” sharpie on old New Yorker
“Ian behind tulips and anemones” 10x8 inches, felt-tip pen
Related reading: “Ian’s Journal”