Les horloges

Emile Verhaeren 1855 (Sint-Amands) – 1916 (Rouen)



La nuit, dans le silence en noir de nos demeures,
Béquilles et bâtons qui se cognent, là-bas;
Montant et dévalant les escaliers des heures,
Les horloges, avec leurs pas ;

Émaux naifs derrière un verre, emblèmes
Et fleurs d'antan, chiffres maigres et vieux;
Lunes des corridors vides et blêmes,
Les horloges, avec leurs yeux ;

Sons morts, notes de plomb, marteaux et limes
Boutique en bois de mots sournois,
Et le babil des secondes minimes,
Les horloges, avec leurs voix ;

Gaines de chêne et bornes d'ombre,
Cercueils scellés dans le mur froid,
Vieux os du temps que grignote le nombre,
Les horloges et leur effroi ;

Les horloges
Volontaires et vigilantes,
Pareilles aux vieilles servantes
Boitant de leurs sabots ou glissant
Les horloges que j'interroge
Serrent ma peur en leur compas.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

39 sec read
97

Quick analysis:

Scheme AAAA AAAA AAAA BCBB AAACXA
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 783
Words 130
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 6

Emile Verhaeren

Emile Verhaeren was a Belgian poet who wrote in the French language, and one of the chief founders of the school of Symbolism. more…

All Emile Verhaeren poems | Emile Verhaeren Books

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