Get Your Premium Membership

11 november in Europe

The trenches are dug, We gotta go, guys, Defend our country, On the other side of the Rhine, They don’t speak French, On the other side of the Rhine, They don’t speak German, Sprechen Sie Deutsch ? We gotta go, guys, To die for a wheat field, die for a mill, To die for his children, We gotta go, guys, On the other side of the Rhine, They don’t speak French, On the other side of the Rhine, They don’t speak German, We gotta go, guys, I could have been born in Saarbrücken, I could have been born in Neuilly, What a difference in the bottom, We gotta kill each other, guys Like hungry wolves, Like bloody beasts, Where’s the humanity, guys? She’s in our houses, On the banks of the Seine, Under the sun of Arles, It is in the port of Hamburg, Nobody talks about it, Humanity is the peace, Peace is back, guys, The peace of November 11. Les tranchées sont creusées, Il faut y aller les gars, Défendre notre pays, De l’autre côté du Rhin, Ils ne parlent pas français, De l’autre côté du Rhin, Ils ne parlent pas allemand, Il faut y aller les gars, Mourir pour un champ de blé, mourir pour un moulin, Mourir pour ses enfants, Il faut y aller les gars, De l’autre côté du Rhin, Ils ne parlent pas français, De l’autre côté du Rhin, Ils ne parlent pas allemand, Il faut y aller les gars, J’aurais pu naitre à Sarrebruck, J’aurais pu naitre à Neuilly, Quelle différence au fond, Il faut s’entretuer les gars Comme des loups affamés, Comme des bêtes sanglantes, Où est l’humanité les gars ? Elle est dans nos maisons, Sur le bord de la Seine, Sous le soleil d’Arles, Elle est dans le port de Hambourg, Personne n’en parle, L’Humanité c’est la paix, La paix retrouvée, les gars, La paix du onze novembre.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2023




Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 11/19/2023 2:50:00 PM
Yann, I was born exactly next to the River Rhine in Basel, Switzerland, and they speak German for sure, also French and Italian, possibly English. So what is the problem? Humanity speaks the languages when they want to. I hope you found the peace, by the way. Have a nice week my friendxxx
Login to Reply
Date: 11/11/2023 1:39:00 PM
Awesome write Yann. Yes, we must go..to what, for what? You've done a fantastic job. :)
Login to Reply
Rolland Avatar
Yann Rolland
Date: 11/12/2023 2:30:00 AM
Thanks a lot Linda, for the supportive comment, really good questions, wars are always "mistakes" have asweet sunday
Date: 11/11/2023 12:18:00 PM
A beautifully composed poem. It's so nice to see it in two languages. I agree with Sara. War is senseless. Evelyn
Login to Reply
Rolland Avatar
Yann Rolland
Date: 11/12/2023 2:32:00 AM
thanks alot Evelyn, have a blessed sunday
Date: 11/11/2023 8:19:00 AM
an amazing translation, Yann....such powerful images of the war that was supposed to end all wars. I agree, where's the humanity? I've never totally grasped the need for war, wars orchestrated for power and at what expense? Insanity if you ask me. I sincerely loved this piece of work. Have a blessed day, Sara
Login to Reply
Rolland Avatar
Yann Rolland
Date: 11/12/2023 2:31:00 AM
Thanks alot Sara, i don't understand wars and violences either, thanks for the kind, precious and supportive comment yann
Date: 11/11/2023 1:21:00 AM
Seems like a suicide to me. But that is war, after all. Blessings.
Login to Reply
Rolland Avatar
Yann Rolland
Date: 11/12/2023 2:33:00 AM
i love your opinion,Victor, suicide means many things, thanks for the supportive and kind comment
Date: 11/10/2023 9:30:00 PM
Enjoyed thank you for posting
Login to Reply
Rolland Avatar
Yann Rolland
Date: 11/12/2023 2:34:00 AM
thanks a lot Joyce take care

Book: Reflection on the Important Things