Entre République et Nation [English translation]

It's one of those day, landmarked by a cross

Made by a black permanent marker.

That kind of day we'll tell about

In forty years, to our granddaughter.

Religions put aside,

Only humans following each others in line

Defending their liberties

I'm French before jewish.

It has never been so crazy

To see an entire nation standing.

It has never been so long,

Between République et Nation1

It's one of those days that'll be written

On history textbooks.

Silence stronger than shouts,

Fear stifled by hope.

Residents opening their windows

Like one opens its Advent calendar.

Something's being born :

There will be a "before" and an "after"

Like a one-way street,

Between République et Nation

Like a boulevard becoming car-free

Between République et Nation

When one wants to kill a newspaper,

(And) dies at the printer's,

Even fate lectures him

For us to smile during mourning.2

Make humour, not war

Hands are clapping in unisson.

I hear barriers shattering

It's the most beautiful song.

It will always be a shame,

One Marseillaise during one hommage.

We'll always be a little moronic

Between République et Nation

Everyone isn't Charlie Hebdo,

Too many prophets, fathers, saints ;

But today Charlie is proud

With its pencil

Raised to skies.

The subscribers, the unfaithfuls,

The warriors of conflation,

French before muslim.

It will be historic :

We even applauded cops3

And I shed a tear

Between République et Nation

Between République et Nation

Between République et Nation

1. "République" & "Nation" are two stations of the parisian metro2. The terrorists had found shelter at a printer's, and were killed there, pretty ironic when you know they wanted to kill... journalists and artists.3. Which is not really a french passion, for the record

• Artist:Gauvain Sers