I had to learn it from Jane.
Ms. Birkin, that is.
In Around a Small Mountain.
Confident Jane.
Self-assured.
Still beautiful
after all these years.
As she prepared for the day’s
circus.
How to say, unfortunately, monsieur.
Hélas, sir.
He might have been a nice man,
if a bit inscrutable.
And she meant nothing by it
except the truth
of the way
it was going to go
that night, and maybe
ever after.
So I learned to say it
on Thursday
in a casual, offhand way.
Hélas, monsieur. Hélas.
—L.L.B.
🌷
you can view around a small mountain with french and english subtitles on at the same time, at mango languages