Stephanie Havet (asker) Nov 27, 2017:

Merci beaucoup pour vos propositions.

Jocelyne Cuenin Nov 7, 2017:

cover il y a comme un jeu de mots entre tree cover (canopy) et issue cover, à mon avis.
Alors : comme les couleurs chaudes de l'automne au sommet des collines / comme les couleurs chaudes dont se pare le sommet des collines... / réchauffer d'une touche lumineuse / apporter une touche de chaleur, etc.

Didier Fourcot Nov 7, 2017:

Hill tops? Le terme "mountain" est peut-être mal choisi, je comprends une tache de couleur sur le bureau comme les feuilles d'automne qui colorent un monticule, mais l'image reste douteuse parce que les feuilles s'accumulent plus dans les creux que sur les buttes

Anne Bohy Nov 7, 2017:

Il s'agit de montagnes de documents. Je pense que l'auteur évoque juste un tapis de feuilles mortes sur des montagnes de documents.

B D Finch Nov 7, 2017:

Strange metaphor? Mountain tops are usually above the tree line and, if they aren't, autumn leaves get blown off very quickly. However, the image of warm autumn leaves suggests, to me, leaves sitting there till they rot into leaf mould, which doesn't happen on mountain tops. So, does this mean that the cover will quickly find its way into the round filing cabinet under the desk? Or does it mean that the cover will disappear under a pile of paper on the desktop and be forgotten about?

Perhaps this depends whereabouts in Africa the author comes from. Are they from a mountainous area or somewhere flat? If it's the latter, they might not know what mountains are really like. There is a tendency among Europeans and Americans to lump all of Africa together, but it really encompasses an enormous variety of landscapes and cultures.