Monday, December 19, 2011

Dien Bien Phu



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"They were waiting in the trenches
The most recent attack Vietnamese.
In the dirt they have dug trenches themselves.
Dien Bien Phu.

Throughout months of fighting
Under a hail of splinters
They thought that they hold on.
Dien Bien Phu.

Command post, "Gabrielle"
Fell this morning.
"Isabel," still holds.
They fight in close quarters.

Next to the commander of the 18 year old boys
Die for France with the song:
Against the Vietnamese people against the enemy,
Wherever the fight goes.

In the trenches can be heard only
Victory cries Vietnamese.
They stayed until the end.
Dien Bien Phu.

Now all the spit
at Dien Bien Phu.

But we, we are still proud of you.
Dien Bien Phu. "

"Gabriel" and "Isabelle" - the name of the fortifications. And, sorry, I translate poetry only in prose, the poetic gift God has not given.

French text:

JEAN-PAX MéFRET
Diên-Biên-Phû.


Ils attendaient dans la cuvette
Le tout dernier assaut des Viets.
Dans la boue, ils creusaient leurs trous.
Diên-Biên-Phû.

Depuis des mois dans la bataille,
Sous un orage gris de feraille,
Ils pensaient qu'ils tiendraient le coup.
Diên-Biên-Phû.

Le PC Gabrielle
Est tombé ce matin,
Isabelle tient encore,
On se bat au corps à corps.

Près du commandement, des gosses de dix-huit ans
Pour la France, tombent en chantant:
Contre les Viets, contre l'ennemi,
Partout où le combat fait signe.

On entend plus, sur la cuvette,
Que le cri de victoire des Viets.
Ils avaient tenu jusqu'au bout.
Diên-Biên-Phû.

Aujourd'hui tout le monde s'en fout
De Diên-Biên-Phû.

Mais nous, nous restons fiers de vous.
Diên-Biên-Phû.
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 29, 2020 at 6:30 AM

    Thx for help and to refine a few details:
    ===

    They were waiting, inside a depression of the ground,
    For the final attack of the Viets.
    The the mud, they've dug their burrows themselves.
    Dien Bien Phu.

    For months in battle,
    Under a grim [basic meaning: "gray"] storm of iron,
    They've thought they'll withstand the strike.
    Dien Bien Phu.

    The command post "Gabrielle"
    Fell this morning,
    The "Isabelle" [post] is still holding,
    Fight is going on hand-to-hand.
    Dien Bien Phu.

    Next to the headquarters, the eighteen-years-old boys,
    For France, are falling while singing:
    "Against the Viets, against the enemy,
    Wherever battle gives a sign."

    [Pls note: "où le combat fait signe"
    -in French a solemnly-worded fixed phrase
    coming from a classical military song]

    It can be heard, inside the depression of the ground,
    Only cries of victory of the Viets.
    They will hold on to the end.
    Dien Bien Phu.

    Today, all the world doesn't care
    about Dien Bien Phu.

    But we, we continue to be proud of you.
    Dien Bien Phu.

    ReplyDelete

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