On ne change pas [English translation]

One1does not change

One simply puts the costumes of others on oneself

One does not change

A jacket simply hides a little of what one sees

One does not grow up

One grows a little, just barely

The time for a dream, an illusion

And touching them with one’s finger

But one does not forget

The child who remains, almost naked

The moments of innocence

When one didn’t know

One does not change

One puts on airs and combat poses

One does not change

One doesn’t let it show, one believes

That one makes choices

But if you look closer

Near the appearance, trembles

A little child who looks like us

We know very well he is there

One can hear him sometimes

His insolent tune

That persists and repeats,

“Oh do not leave me”

One never forgets

There is always a gesture

That gives away who one is

A prince, a valet

Under the crown, a look

An arrogance, a trait

Of a prince or valet

I know that so very well

I’ve copied images

And dreams that I had

All those thousands of dreams

But so close to me,

A small thin girl

Walks in Charlemagne, worried

And speaks to me in a whisper

One does not change, one simply wears

The costumes of others and “voilà”

One does not change, one only hides

A moment of oneself

A little girl

Walks, ungrateful and lonely,

And dreams in the snow

While forgetting the cold

If I put make-up on her

She disappears a little,

For the time it takes to watch me make her make-up

And make fun of me,

A little girl

A very little girl

A very little girl

A very little girl

The other translations present on this website contain a couple of errors; some due to the use of “one” in the original version.