La voix du silence [English translation]

Before then I did not know

that some words are not ours to be heard...

But one night a shadow came to me

and said: "Listen a bit harder,

there's a voice speaking unknown words to you.

Do you hear

the voice of silence whispering?"

I went to take a stroll,

the poplar trees bent over

to tell me stories

they were the only ones to know.

And the wind and the sea were softly speaking

so that I heard

the voice of silence singing.

Since then I've seen many a man

throwing words to the four winds

and holding forth without speaking,

hearing without listening.

They wrote songs a thousand voices sang along for me

Under their screams I hear

the voice of silence fading1

Men no longer see flowers,

and so their hearts have withered2.

By being loud, they hope to fill

the emptiness of their life

and my words fall soundlessly like muffled dewdrops,

as does the voice of silence3.

You lie asleep by my side

and I won't dare speak to you

for fear our words would melt into

the loud noise of the world.

Still I love you so much that one day you'll understand

Through me you'll hear

the words of silence screaming.4

1. lit. "and their screams cover the voice of silence"2. lit. "got wrinkles", but that does not sound that great in French to begin with3. you can't win them all...4. lit. "you'll hear me scream the words of silence"

• Artist:Marie Laforêt