War Poetry

The Partisan

When they poured across the border
I was cautioned to surrender,
this I could not do;
I took my gun and vanished.

I have changed my name so often,
I've lost my wife and children
but I have many friends,
and some of them are with me.

An old woman gave us shelter,
kept us hidden in the garret,
then the soldiers came;
she died without a whisper.

There were three of us this morning
I'm the only one this evening
but I must go on;
the frontiers are my prison.

Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
through the graves the wind is blowing,
freedom soon will come;
then we'll come from the shadows.

Les Allemands e'taient chez moi, [The Germans were at my home]
ils me dirent, "Signe toi," [They said, "Sign yourself,"]
mais je n'ai pas peur; [But I am not afraid]
j'ai repris mon arme. [I have retaken my weapon.]

J'ai change' cent fois de nom, [I have changed names a hundred times]
j'ai perdu femme et enfants [I have lost wife and children]
mais j'ai tant d'amis; [But I have so many friends]
j'ai la France entie`re. [I have all of France]

Un vieil homme dans un grenier [An old man, in an attic]
pour la nuit nous a cache', [Hid us for the night]
les Allemands l'ont pris; [The Germans captured him]
il est mort sans surprise. [He died without surprise.]

Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
through the graves the wind is blowing,
freedom soon will come;
then we'll come from the shadows.

by Anna Marly and Hy Zaret