As-tu Déjà Aimé
Louis Garrel
Have You Ever Loved
Have you ever loved
For the beauty of the gesture?
Have you ever bitten
The apple with full teeth?
For the flavor of the fruit
Its sweetness and its zest
Have you often lost yourself?
Yes, I have loved before
For the beauty of the gesture
But the apple was hard.
I broke my teeth on it.
These immature passions,
These indigestible loves
Have often sickened me
The loves that last
Make lovers bloodless,
And their kisses too ripe
Rot our tongues
The fleeting loves
Have futile fevers,
And their kisses too green
Chap our lips
Because wanting to love
For the beauty of the gesture,
The worm in the apple
Slips between our teeth.
It gnaws at our heart,
Brain, and the rest,
Slowly empties us
But when we dare to love
For the beauty of the gesture,
This worm in the apple
That slips between our teeth,
Perfumes our heart,
Brain, and leaves us
Its fragrance inside
The fleeting loves
Make futile efforts
Their fleeting caresses
Tire our bodies
The loves that last
Make lovers less beautiful
Their caresses, worn out,
Take a toll on our skins.
