[vanyvrgs]

From the tail section!  Sorry but I cannot get  a picture to dowload right now....nevermind, got a link to the pic here:
http://www.thetailsection.com/lost-pictures/lost.s218.s.o.s.poetry.jpg
Thanks.


The page that Locke was using to draw the hatch diagram at the end of S.O.S was from an unidentified collection of 18th century french poet Alfred De Musset.   Here is the translation.


ON THE BEGINNINGS OF MESDEMOISELLES RACHEL AND PAULINE GARCIA

Thus therefore, although one says, she does not dry up, The immortal source and fertilizes That the divine messenger fit to gush under its steps; She always exists, this sap of the world, She flows, and the gods are again here low!

To what serve us therefore frivolous so many fights, so many efforts always vain and always reemerging? A chaos if pompeux of useless words, And so powerless hammers Striking the former idols?

Discourse on the arts, do the connoisseurs; We will have beautiful to change errors As a libertine of mistress, The lilas in the spring will always be in flowers, And the immortal arts will rejuvenate
continually.

Discuss our breadth, our dreams and our tastes, Compare to leisure the modern one and the antique one, And clank under these jealous flags!  When we will be at the end of our rhetoric, Two born children of yesterday some will know more than we.

O young hearts fill with antique poetry, the welcomes, children cherished gods have You the same age and it same genius. The soft clarity is blessed That you bring back in our eyes!

Go! that the happiness follows you! This is not chance an inconstant whim That you fit to be born to the same instant. Your here low mother, this is the Wanders around attentive That on the sacred fire watches eternally.

Obey without fear to the god that inspires you. Are unaware of, if it can itself, that we talk about you. These complaints, these agreements, these pleurs, this soft one to smile, All your treasures, give them-we Sing children, do we leave to say.

For the original french click the link below:

SUR LES DÉBUTS DE MESDEMOISELLES RACHEL ET PAULINE GARCIA


Ainsi donc, quoi qu'on dise, elle ne tarit pas,
      La source immortelle et féconde
Que le coursier divin fit jaillir sous ses pas;
Elle existe toujours, cette sève du monde,
Elle coule, et les dieux sont encore ici-bas!



A quoi nous servent donc tant de luttes frivoles,
Tant d'efforts toujours vains et toujours renaissants?
Un chaos si pompeux d'inutiles paroles,
      Et tant marteaux impuissants
      Frappant les anciennes idoles?



Discourons sur les arts, faisons les connaisseurs;
      Nous aurons beau changer d'erreurs
      Comme un libertin de maîtresse,
Les lilas au printemps seront toujours en fleurs,
Et les arts immortels rajeuniront sans cesse.



Discutons nos travers, nos rêves et nos goûts,
Comparons à loisir le moderne et l'antique,
      Et ferraillons sous ces drapeaux jaloux!
Quand nous serons au bout de notre rhétorique,
Deux enfants nés d'hier en sauront plus que nous.



Ô jeunes coeurs remplis d'antique poésie,
Soyez les bienvenus, enfants chéris des dieux
Vous avez le même âge et le même génie.
      La douce clarté soit bénie
      Que vous ramenez dans nos yeux!



      Allez! que le bonheur vous suive!
Ce n'est pas du hasard un caprice inconstant
      Qui vous fit naître au même instant.
Votre mère ici-bas, c'est la Muse attentive
Qui sur le feu sacré veille éternellement.



Obéissez sans crainte au dieu qui vous inspire.
Ignorez, s'il se peut, que nous parlons de vous.
Ces plaintes, ces accords, ces pleurs, ce doux sourire,
       Tous vos trésors, donnez-les-nous
       Chantez enfants, laissez-nous dire.

[Brennan]

Wow, that's interesting.  I was never too good at analyzing poetry, but the lines about vain efforts may have some relation to Locke trying to draw that map.  Thanks for posting that, here's some Karma.

[vanyvrgs]

Wow, that's interesting.  I was never too good at analyzing poetry, but the lines about vain efforts may have some relation to Locke trying to draw that map.  Thanks for posting that, here's some Karma.

I can't say I am a great analyzer either... but the last line abt obeying without fear the God that inspires you sounds like Locke and there is mention of chlidren being cherished gods -- other than that...color me clueless....

[HvnSntRN]

Here are the stanzas that are the best focussed in the screen shot:

Ô jeunes coeurs remplis d'antique poésie,
Soyez les bienvenus, enfants chéris des dieux
Vous avez le même âge et le même génie.
      La douce clarté soit bénie
      Que vous ramenez dans nos yeux!

      Allez! que le bonheur vous suive!
Ce n'est pas du hasard un caprice inconstant
      Qui vous fit naître au même instant.
Votre mère ici-bas, c'est la Muse attentive
Qui sur le feu sacré veille éternellement.

Oh young hearts filled with ancient poetry
be welcomed ones, children cherished by the gods
you have the same age, the same genius
   The soft clarity will be a blessing
   that you bring before our eyes

Go!  Let happiness follow you!
this was not by chance of fickle capriciousness
that you were given birth at this instant
your mother, down here, is the attentive Muse
who on the sacred fire watches eternally

Perhaps this is a confirmation that the "losties" were selected by "the gods" to be on the Island.  They (like Rose and Locke maybe?) have experienced a re-birth at the hand of the Island - "your mother, down here".  What the "sacred fire" might be is anyone's guess, but there is an ominous overtone to the thought that they are being watched eternally.

[Dill0n]

it just goes to show that nothing in this show is put there arbitrarily.  i cannot imagine what the behind-the-scenes people have to do to come up with all this stuff for us to pour/drool over and analyze to death.  good find.

karma pour vous (since we're all about french) 

[HvnSntRN]

The only person who has been on the Island for any length of time who speaks French is Danielle.  I wonder if it belonged to her?

[Peel]

the literacy in the details of this show amaze me each and every time


excellent finging Vany   

[~dukeLavellE~]

thx, vany. great find, i was looking for the translation just now.

i just happened to read some quotes from alfred musset.

How glorious it is, but how painful it is also, to be exceptional in this world! (from La Merle Blanc, 1842)

I cannot help it;- in spite of myself, infinity torments me.

There is no worse sorrow than remembering happiness in the day of sorrow.

With a kiss let us set out for an unknown world.

http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/alfred_de_musset/

[Astrolume]

It's always nice to see this kind of beautiful poetry in Lost. 

I'm not sure that we can project this poem to the survivors of Lost... The parallels aren't really obvious.

[VeNoM666]

The only person who has been on the Island for any length of time who speaks French is Danielle.  I wonder if it belonged to her?

Desmond maybe ¬¬

[vanyvrgs]

Desmond maybe ¬¬

it was in the hatch already.. so it could belong to Desmond or Kelvin or anyone.... is someone saying maybe Dannielle mya have been in the hatch before? 

[HvnSntRN]

it was in the hatch already.. so it could belong to Desmond or Kelvin or anyone.... is someone saying maybe Dannielle mya have been in the hatch before? 

I was just wondering if it might have been Danielle's book of poetry - since she's the only one that I know of on the Island who speaks French.

If the Others could kidnap her baby, they certainly could have stolen her books.

[vanyvrgs]

I was just wondering if it might have been Danielle's book of poetry - since she's the only one that I know of on the Island who speaks French.

If the Others could kidnap her baby, they certainly could have stolen her books.

Very true...indeed.I stand corrected.... based on what we know she is the only one who can speak French... obviously Locke couldn't or he would not have used it as scratch paper...those Americans always destroying art for their own benefit,  Oh wait, am American, nevermind....LOL

[Dill0n]

based on what we know she is the only one who can speak French...

what about shannon?  she was able to translate rousseau's transmission.

[~dukeLavellE~]

what about shannon?  she was able to translate rousseau's transmission.

if she were alive, she'd be "happy" to translate the poem, lol