En relisant ta lettre [English translation]

On re-reading your letter I realise that you and penmanship are strangers

It’s you I love

Only has one ‘V’

Above all else.

Do not tell me

Is missing a full-stop

That you don’t care.

I’m begging you

Dot on the ‘i’

Trust me.

I am the slave

Without the accent 1

Of appearances.

It’s ridiculous

Capital ‘I’ 2

It was so good.

It all moves me

That - That’s correct

So very much.

If you give up

As it’s pronounced

Listening to me.

With life

As it’s written

I shall be finished.

To hang on to

Only has one ‘o’

So much bitterness for me.

You have no heart

There’s no mistake.

There’s one right there

I will die

Is not French 3

Don’t you understand?

It will be your fault

It will be your fault.

There are none there

Me, I advise you

That Gardénal

Doesn’t have an ‘e’ 4

But only take one

Tablet at least

Don’t take two

That will calm you down

And you will see

Everything come back to earth

The depression, the tears

The heartache

‘œ’ in the ‘o’ 5

1. Implies she spelt it 'èsclave' 2. Note the 'C majuscule' has the same sound as 'C'est majuscule' - 'It's Capital', echoing the 'it's ridiculous' of the previous line 3. should be 'mourrai' 4. ...on the end. 5. referring back to when she said 'cœur' and doubtless misspelt it

• Artist:Serge Gainsbourg