Quicksands

Sables mouvants

Démons et merveilles

Vents et marées

Au loin déjà la mer s'est retirée

Démons et merveilles

Vents et marées

Et toi

Comme une algue doucement caressée par le vent

Dans les sables du lit tu remues en rêvant

Démons et merveilles

Vents et marées

Au loin déjà la mer s'est retirée

Mais dans tes yeux entrouverts

Deux petites vagues sont restées

Démons et merveilles

Vents et marées

Deux petites vagues pour me noyer.

We are going on with our journey through Jacques Prévert poetry and his best loved book "Paroles" ("Words" or "Lyrics"). Most of these poems have been turned into songs or have been written to be songs, as this poem, which was written for the movie "Les Visiteurs du Soir", released in 1942, in occupied France. It was directed by Marcel Carné, best remembered for another film, "Les Enfants du Paradis". (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Visiteurs_du_Soir).

https://youtu.be/aZ9L0WN8gUk

This is the song in the film

https://youtu.be/TD-wH04uA5w

and this is the song as I first heard it  as a child, sung by Cora Vaucaire

And here is how it might be translated in English

Quiksands

Demons and marvels

Winds and tides

Far away already the sea has gone out

And you

Like seaweed gently caressed by the wind

In the sands of sleep you stir dreaming

Demons and marvels

Winds and tides

Far away already the sea has gone out

But in your half-open eyes

Two little waves remain

Demons and marvels

Winds and tide

Two little waves to drown myself in.