Lorsque rentrent des alentours,
\nTels soirs d\u2019\u00e9t\u00e9, les attelages,
\nLes vieilles gens des vieux villages
\nSe rassemblent aux carrefours.<\/p>\n
Les plus anciens semblent descendre
\nDu calvaire de leurs cent ans ;
\nLeurs petits yeux sont clignotants
\nDans leur face, couleur de cendre.<\/p>\n
Ils sont \u00e0 bout de tant marcher ;
\nIls radotent, sourient et pleurent,
\nPuis se taisent, \u00e9coutant l\u2019heure
\nCasser le temps, \u00e0 leur clocher.<\/p>\n
Les a\u00efeules se sont assises
\nSur les roses d\u2019un coussinet ;
\nLes deux brides de leur bonnet
\nTombent d\u2019aplomb sur leurs mains grises.<\/p>\n
Les veilleuses du souvenir
\nBr\u00fblent au fond de leurs m\u00e9moires ;
\nLeur menton m\u00e2che des histoires
\nLongues \u00e0 ne jamais finir.<\/p>\n
La plus jeune passe \u00e0 la ronde
\nQuelques lambeaux d\u2019un almanach ;
\nEntre deux prises de tabac,
\nOn discute la fin du monde.<\/p>\n
On reparle de morts fauch\u00e9s
\nDepuis quels temps ! \u2014 Dieu s\u2019en souvienne.
\n\u00ab C\u2019\u00e9tait quand l\u2019\u00e9cole gardienne
\nS\u2019ouvrait encor au vieux march\u00e9. \u00bb<\/p>\n
On dit ses deuils et ses mis\u00e8res ;
\nOn se chamaille et c\u2019est \u00e0 qui
\nTra\u00eene le plus dolent ennui
\nVers les plus noirs anniversaires.<\/p>\n
Tous sont jaloux de leurs douleurs :
\nD\u00e9funt leur fils, morte leur fille ;
\nLes b\u0153ufs, qui sont de la famille.
\nCapt\u00e9s, un soir, par des voleurs.<\/p>\n
Et tous les maux que l\u2019on endure
\nSans qu\u2019on aille crier, merci !
\nS\u00e8ve \u00e9puis\u00e9e et sang moisi,
\nSous la chair flasque et la peau dure.<\/p>\n
Ainsi causent les vieilles gens,
\nLes soirs d\u2019\u00e9t\u00e9, dans les villages ;
\nSur le chemin, les attelages
\nFleurent, au loin, comme un encens.<\/p>\n
Et, jour \u00e0 jour, les temps s\u2019\u00e9cartent ;
\nDu lundi soir au samedi
\nOn ressasse ce qu\u2019on s\u2019est dit ;
\nMais le dimanche, on joue aux cartes.<\/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":[278],"poems-book":[696],"poemes-theme":[388],"poete":[654],"class_list":["post-15396","poemes","type-poemes","status-publish","hentry","annee-278","poems-book-les-plaines","poemes-theme-ete","poete-emile-verhaeren"],"yoast_head":"\n