poems are cool

I'm supposed to be studying for my oral exam tomorrow.  But, I really want to share a poem with you; one that is part of the list of texts I may have to analyze in front of my teacher.  I really hope I get it, because I connected so much with it while I was reading.  Yeah, it's in French, and I think that's the way it should remain, but I'll try to find some sort of translation for all of you non-speakers out there.  

Le Pont Mirabeau par Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918)

Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine 

Et nos amours 

Faut-il qu'il m'en souvienne 

La joie venait toujours après la peine

Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure 

Les jours s'en vont je demeure 

Les mains dans les mains restons face à face 

Tandis que sous

Le pont de nos bras passe 

Des éternels regards londre si lasse 

Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure 

Les jours s'en vont je demeure 

L'amour s'en va comme cette eau courante 

L'amour s'en va 

Comme la vie est lente

Et comme l'Espérance est violente

Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure 

Les jours s'en vont je demeure 

Passent les jours et passent les semaines 

Ni temps passé

Ni les amours reviennent 

Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine 

Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure 

Les jours s'en vont je demeure

I think this poem has a very nostalgic quality to it, for those of us, well, for anyone really, who has lived somewhere, and who has had to leave prematurely, or without really wanting to leave.  I know it has this "love story" theme running through it, but taking that out.  Well, hell, why take it out?  There's so much love in the hood, here.  So yeah, time passes, people come and go, love comes and goes, and he keeps saying, "je demeure," or "i remain."  Remain locked in this time, guarding a certain feeling, love; but love, I think love is the most fleeting of feelings.  I think we try so hard to capture it, and once we do, we try so hard to keep it within us, but it slips away and again, we remain.  Do we realize when it has left us?  Or do we keep holding on to the memories, hoping that the memories will have will bring back the same feelings?  

I dont know.  OH.  I just realized I didn't get a translation.  Ok, go find on.  I know you can.  Do it.  DO IT.  

LOVE (because I have a lot of it to offer), Ranna