Le vaisseau clair
\nAvait des m\u00e2ts et des agr\u00e8s si fins
\nEt des drapeaux si bellement incarnadins,
\nQu\u2019on e\u00fbt dit un jardin
\nQui s\u2019en allait en mer.<\/p>\n
Comme des bras de jeunes filles,
\nLes flots environnaient sa quille
\nDe leurs guirlandes.<\/p>\n
C\u2019\u00e9tait par ces soirs d\u2019or de Flandre et de Z\u00e9lande,
\nO\u00f9 les parents
\nDisent aux enfants
\nQue les J\u00e9sus vont sur la mer.<\/p>\n
Le vaisseau clair
\nS\u2019en fut en leur rencontre,
\nCherchant ce coin de ciel vermeil,
\nO\u00f9 l\u2019\u00e9toile
\nQui conduisit par de beaux paysages,
\n\u00c0 Bethl\u00e9em, les bons rois mages,
\nSe montre.<\/p>\n
Le vaisseau clair roula le jour, tangua la nuit,
\nCingla vers des golfes et vers des \u00eeles
\nV\u00eatus de lune aimante ou de soleil docile.<\/p>\n
Il rencontra le vent fortuit
\nEt les oiseaux de l\u2019aventure
\nQui s\u2019en venaient se reposer,
\nAiles closes, sur la m\u00e2ture ;
\nUn air de baume et de baisers
\nCoulait sur les miroirs mobiles
\nQue les vagues dressaient et renversaient,
\nTandis que le sillage, en son \u00e9clair, cassait
\nLes \u00e9cumes d\u2019argent et leurs prismes fragiles.<\/p>\n
Le vaisseau clair roula le jour, tangua la nuit ;
\nIl fit, parmi les caps et les \u00eeles tranquilles,
\nUn beau voyage pu\u00e9ril,
\nMais les J\u00e9sus ne se rencontraient pas,
\nNulle lueur sur l\u2019eau ne d\u00e9celait leurs pas,
\nComme jadis, aux temps sereins des \u00c9vangiles.
\nLe vaisseau clair revint, un soir de bruit
\nEt de f\u00eate, vers le rivage,
\nD\u2019o\u00f9 son \u00e9lan \u00e9tait parti ;
\nCertes, les m\u00e2ts dardaient toujours leur \u00e2me,
\nCertes, le foc portait encor des oriflammes,
\nMais les marins \u00e9taient d\u00e9couronn\u00e9s
\nDe confiance et les haubans et les cordages
\nNe vibraient plus, comme des lyres sauvages.<\/p>\n
Le navire rentra comme un jardin fan\u00e9,
\nDrapeaux \u00e9teints, espoirs min\u00e9s,
\nAvec l\u2019effroi de n\u2019oser dire \u00e0 ceux du port
\nQu\u2019il avait entendu, l\u00e0-bas, de plage en plage,
\nLes flots crier sur les rivages
\nQue Pan et que J\u00e9sus, tous deux, \u00e9taient des morts.<\/p>\n
Mais ses mousses dont l\u2019\u00e2me \u00e9tait rest\u00e9e
\nAussi fervente et indompt\u00e9e
\nQue leur navire \u00e0 son d\u00e9part,
\nL\u2019amarr\u00e8rent pr\u00e8s du rempart ;
\nEt d\u00e8s la nuit venue, avec des cris de f\u00eate,
\nIls s\u2019en furent dans la temp\u00eate,
\nTout en sachant que l\u2019orage g\u00e9ant
\nLes pousserait vers d\u2019autres oc\u00e9ans
\nSans cesse en proie \u00e0 des rages alti\u00e8res,
\nEt qu\u2019il faudrait quand m\u00eame, encor,
\nToujours, en rapporter des d\u00e9sirs d\u2019or
\nEt des victoires de lumi\u00e8re.<\/p>\n
Dites, se plonger \u00e0 s\u2019y perdre, dans la vie contradictoire \u2014 mais enivrante !<\/p>\n
Vivre, c\u2019est prendre et donner avec liesse.<\/p>\n
Mais les plus exalt\u00e9s se dirent dans leur c\u0153ur :
\n\u00ab Partons quand m\u00eame, avec notre \u00e2me inassouvie,
\nPuisque la force et que la vie
\nSont au del\u00e0 des v\u00e9rit\u00e9s et des erreurs. \u00bb<\/p>\n
Toute la vie est dans l\u2019essor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"annee":[457],"poems-book":[693],"poemes-theme":[379],"poete":[654],"class_list":["post-15274","poemes","type-poemes","status-publish","hentry","annee-457","poems-book-les-forces-tumultueuses","poemes-theme-mer","poete-emile-verhaeren"],"yoast_head":"\n