I'm a third-year French student at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. I'm not a translator by any means, just someone who likes poetry and literature.
I've spent a lot of time looking for translations of the work I study on the net. All I find is advertisements for books, and I can't afford to buy a new book every time I need to understand a difficult poem. I find that the best way for me to think about a poem is by reading it in both languages, and this is my primary method of learning French.
When I can't find a good translation, I sometimes do one of my own. I'm putting them on this blog for anyone's use. I am not claiming any accuracy or finesse in these translations, so don't think you can quote them in a course. I put them here in the absence of anything better.
There is no attempt to mimic the rhyming scheme or meter of the originals. I write these to understand the French version, not to attempt to attach my own signature to it. I need to know what the words, phrases, sentences, verses and complete work mean, and I leave the rhythm and music to its author's definitive version.
I hope that you will send me any criticism you have and help me make these translations better.
