Noctua is the Latin word for the owl.
This poem has the form of a set of three haïkus, evocating the luminous serenity of the evening when the sun, like a Lied by Strauss, never ends glowing and fading at the same time. Willing to seize in some sketches these moments of pre- nocturnal peace, the author used some symbols of the Japanese poetry evocating both the serenity – the moon, the croaking of the frog – and the rebirth of the creative ardour, in short, the youth – the spring and the cuckoo – for “it takes one’s whole life to become young one”.
Au couchant
L’ombre s’avance immense
Auréolée de lumière
Le coucou têtu
Dans les bois redit
Le printemps des souvenirs
Offrande à la nuit
La lune lève sa coupe
Un crapaud coasse
This song was written for the 80th birthday of pianist and composer Noël Lee. It was first performed in Tours on January 9th, 2005 at the Descartes hall of “Le Vinci” Congress Palace by Christophe Crapez (tenor) and Emmanuel Haratyk (viola) during the evening named “80 candels for Noël Lee”.