Victor Hugo, Father and Poet

I discovered Victor Hugo when I was 9 years old, and since then I am a huge fan. I still know some of his poems by heart and I love to recite them while walking. I love the way his verses flow through my lips and the stories they tell. Whose I like the most are about Victor Hugo's adoration of his daughter, Léopoldine - who died with her husband at 19 year old - or about his fondness of his grand-children, Georges and Jane.

Here is a translation of "Demain, dès l'aube...", one of Hugo's most famous poem. After the death of Léopoldine on 4 september 1843, rumors said that Victor Hugo took 4 years to visit her grave. The poem is about this visit.

Demain, dès l’aube, à l’heure où blanchit la campagne,

Je partirai. Vois-tu, je sais que tu m’attends.

J’irai par la forêt, j’irai par la montagne.

Je ne puis demeurer loin de toi plus longtemps.

Je marcherai les yeux fixés sur mes pensées,

Sans rien voir au dehors, sans entendre aucun bruit,

Seul, inconnu, le dos courbé, les mains croisées,

Triste, et le jour pour moi sera comme la nuit.

Je ne regarderai ni l’or du soir qui tombe,

Ni les voiles au loin descendant vers Harfleur

Et, quand j’arriverai je mettrai sur ta tombe

Un bouquet de houx vert et de bruyère en fleur.

From "Les contemplations"

A translation I like (source):

Tomorrow at dawn, when the fields whiten,

I shall go. You see, I know you’re waiting for me.

I will go by the forest, I will go by the mountain.

I cannot stay away from you any longer.

I will walk, my eyes gazing on my thoughts,

Without seeing anything outside, without hearing any sound,

Alone, unknown, the back bent, hands crossed,

Sad, and day will be for me like night.

I will watch nor the gold of the falling night,

Nor the sails going down to Harfleur,

And when I will arrive, I will put on your grave

A bouquet of green holly, and blooming heather.

-- "Abondance et profusion" - Laurent Ducq