Rimbaud

Selected Poems
A. S. Kline 2002, 2008 All Rights Reserved
This work may be freely rerod!"ed, stored, and transmitted, ele"troni"ally
or otherwise, for any non#"ommer"ial !rose.
2
Contents
$irst %vening.................................................................................................&
Sensation.......................................................................................................8
The 'la"ksmith.............................................................................................(
S!n and $lesh..............................................................................................)*
+helia........................................................................................................2,
'allad of the -anged...................................................................................2&
Roman"e......................................................................................................28
%ighteen Seventy.........................................................................................,0
Rage of The .aesars....................................................................................,)
The $amo!s /i"tory of Saarbr!"ken...........................................................,2
A 0inter 1ream..........................................................................................,,
%vil..............................................................................................................,2
3y 'ohemia4 A $antasy..............................................................................,5
At The 6reen 7nn........................................................................................,&
The Sly 6irl.................................................................................................,*
The Sleeer in the /alley............................................................................,8
%vening 8rayer............................................................................................,(
3y 9ittle 9overs.........................................................................................20
8oets at Seven :ears....................................................................................22
The Stolen -eart.........................................................................................25
The 8arisian +rgy, or 8aris Reeoled.......................................................2&
;eanne#3arie<s -ands.................................................................................2(
The Sisters of .harity..................................................................................52
$irst .omm!nions.......................................................................................52
0hat +ne Says to the 8oet on the S!b=e"t of $lowers................................&0
The Seekers of 9i"e.....................................................................................&&
The 1r!nken 'oat.......................................................................................&*
/owels.........................................................................................................*)
The Rooks...................................................................................................*2
3emory.......................................................................................................*,
Teardro......................................................................................................*5
The Song of the -ighest Tower...................................................................**
%ternity........................................................................................................80
+ Seasons, + .hatea!>...............................................................................82
,
The 7ll!minations........................................................................................82
After the $lood............................................................................................82
.hildhood....................................................................................................8&
Tale..............................................................................................................(0
8arade..........................................................................................................(2
Anti?!e........................................................................................................(,
'eing 'ea!teo!s..........................................................................................(2
/ies..............................................................................................................(5
1eart!re.....................................................................................................(*
Royalty........................................................................................................(8
To Reason....................................................................................................((
1r!nken 3orning......................................................................................)00
Senten"es...................................................................................................)0)
0orkers.....................................................................................................)0,
The 'ridges...............................................................................................)02
.ity............................................................................................................)05
R!ts...........................................................................................................)0&
.ities.........................................................................................................)0*
/agabonds.................................................................................................)0(
.ities..........................................................................................................))0
/igils.........................................................................................................))2
3ysti"........................................................................................................))2
1awn.........................................................................................................))5
$lowers......................................................................................................))&
3!ndane @o"t!rne....................................................................................))*
3arine.......................................................................................................))8
0inter $east..............................................................................................))(
Ang!ish.....................................................................................................)20
3etroolitan..............................................................................................)2)
'arbarian...................................................................................................)22
8romontory................................................................................................)2,
S"enes........................................................................................................)22
-istori" %vening........................................................................................)25
3ovement.................................................................................................)2&
'ottom.......................................................................................................)28
-................................................................................................................)2(
8rayer........................................................................................................),0
2
1emo"ra"y................................................................................................),)
$airy..........................................................................................................),2
0ar............................................................................................................),,
6enie.........................................................................................................),2
:o!th.........................................................................................................),&
Sale............................................................................................................),(
A Season in -ell # 8rolog!e......................................................................)20
'ad 'lood..................................................................................................)2)
@ight in -ell..............................................................................................)50
Ravings 7 A $oolish /irgin, The 7nfernal So!se......................................)5,
Ravings 77 A Al"hemy of the 0ord............................................................)58
The 7mossible..........................................................................................)&8
9ightning...................................................................................................)*0
3orning.....................................................................................................)*)
$arewell.....................................................................................................)*2
%>tra"t from the B/oyant< 9etter...............................................................)*2
5
First Evening
CPremire SoireD
She was barely dressed tho!gh,
And the great indis"reet trees
To!"hed the glass with their leaves,
7n mali"e, ?!ite "lose, ?!ite "lose.
Sitting in my dee "hair,
-alf#naked, hands "lased together,
+n the floor, little feet, so fine,
So fine, shivered with leas!re.
7 wat"hed, the beeswa> "olo!r
+f a tr!ant ray of s!n#glow
$lit abo!t her smile, and over
-er breast A a fly on the rose.
A 7 kissed her deli"ate ankle.
She gave an abr!t sweet giggle
.himing in "lear trills,
A retty la!gh of "rystal.
-er little feet !nder her sli
Sed away4 B0ill yo! desistE<
Allowing that first bold a"t,
-er la!gh retended to !nishE
A Trembling !nder my lis,
8oor things, 7 gently kissed her lids.
A She threw her vaid head ba"k.
B+hE That<s worse, that isE<F
&
BSir, 7<ve two words to say to yo!...<
A 7 lanted the rest on her breast
7n a kiss that made her la!gh
0ith a la!gh of readinessF.
A She was barely dressed tho!gh,
And the great indis"reet trees
To!"hed the glass with their leaves
7n mali"e, ?!ite "lose, ?!ite "lose.
1870
*
Sensation
CSensationD
Thro!gh the bl!e s!mmer days, 7 shall travel all the ways,
8ri"ked by the ears of maiGe, tramling the dew4
A dreamer, 7 will gaGe, as !nderfoot the "oolness lays.
7<ll let the evening breeGe dren"h my head anew.
7 shall say A not a thing4 7 shall think A not a thing4
'!t an infinite love will swell in my so!l,
And far off 7 shall go, a bohemian,
Thro!gh @at!re A as hay, as if 7 had a girl.
March 1870
8
The Blacksmith
CLe ForgeronD
Palais des Tuleries, about the 10th of ugust 17!"
-is hand on a giganti" hammer, terrifying
7n siGe and dr!nkenness, vast#browed, la!ghing
9ike a bronGe tr!met, his whole mo!th dislayed,
1evo!ring the fat man, now, with his wild gaGe,
The 'la"ksmith soke with 9o!is, with the king,
The 8eole there, all aro!nd him, "avorting,
Trailing their dirty "oats down gilded anels.
'!t the dear king, belly !right, was allid,
8ale as the vi"tim led to the g!illotine,
S!bmissive like a dog, "owed by the s"ene,
Sin"e that wide#sho!ldered forge#bla"k so!l
Soke of things ast and other things so droll,
-e had him by the short hairs, =!st like thatE
B@ow, Sir, yo! know how we<d sing tra#la#la,
And drive the o> down other eole<s f!rrows4
The .anon s!n aternosters in the shadows
+n rosaries bright with golden "oins adorned,
Some 9ord, astride, assed blowing on his horn,
+ne with the noose, another with whi#blows
9ashed !s on. A 1aGed like the eyes of "ows,
+!r eyes no longer wetH on and on we went,
And when we<d lo!ghed a whole "ontinent,
0hen we had left behind in that bla"k soil
A little of o!r own fleshFto reward o!r toil4
They<d set alight o!r hovels in the nightH
+!r little ones made b!rnt "akes alright.
(
F+h, 7<m not "omlainingE All my follies,
They<re between !s. 7<ll let yo! "ontradi"t.
'!t, isn<t it fine to see, in the month of ;!ne,
The enormo!s hay#wains entering the barnsI
To smell the odo!r of b!rgeoning things,
The or"hards in fine rain, the oats reddeningI
To see wheat, wheat, ears filled with grain,
To think it romises !s good bread againI...
+hE :o!<d go to the forge, be more "heerf!l,
Sing and hammer =oyf!lly at the anvil,
7f yo! were s!re to gain a little in the end A
'eing, in fa"t, a man A of what 6od intendsE
A '!t there it is, always the same old storyE...
'!t now 7 knowE 7 don<t "redit it any more,
+wning two strong hands, a head, a hammer,
That a man in a "loak, wearing a dagger
.an say4 go and sow my land, there, fellowH
+r that another, if maybe war sho!ld follow,
.an take my son like that, from where 7<m livingE
A S!ose 7 were a man, and yo! a king,
:o!<d say4 7 #ill itE... A 0hat st!idity.
:o! think yo!r slendid barn leases me,
:o!r gilded servants, yo!r tho!sand rog!es,
:o!r fan"y bastards, ea"o"ks in a row4
$illing yo!r nest with o!r da!ghters< odo!r,
0arrants to the 'astille for !s, moreover
That we sho!ld say4 fine4 make the oor oorerE
0e<ll give yo! o!r last sous to gild the 9o!vreE
0hile yo! get dr!nk and en=oy the feast,
A And they all la!gh, riding o!r ba"ks beneathE
)0
@o. Those !erilities were o!r fathersE
The 8eole is no one<s whore now, three stes f!rther
And then, we raGed yo!r 'astille to the gro!nd.
That monster sweated blood from every mo!nd,
0as an abomination, that 'astille standing,
0ith lero!s walls its every story yielding,
And, we forever held fast in its shadowE
A .itiGenE That was the ast, its sorrow,
That broke, and died, when we stormed the towerE
0e had something in o!r hearts like tr!e ardo!r.
0e had "l!t"hed o!r "hildren to o!r breast.
And like "hargers, snorting at the "ontest,
0e went, ro!d and strong, beating here insideF
0e mar"hed in the s!n A like this A heads high
7nto 8arisE They greeted !s in o!r ragged "lothes.
At lastE 0e felt o!rselves 3enE 0e were sallow,
Sire, dr!nk, and allid with terrifying hoes4
And there, in front of those bla"k rison sloes,
0aving o!r b!gles and o!r srigs of oak,
8ikes in o!r fistsH did we feel hatred, noE
A 0e felt s!"h strength we wanted to be gentleE ...
))
And sin"e that day, we have roved elementalsE
A mass of workers srang ! in the street,
And, "!rsed, are gone, a swelling "rowd relete
0ith ghostly shades, to ha!nt the ri"h man<s gate.
7, 7 r!n with them, and set informers straight4
7 s"o!r 8aris, dark#fa"ed, wild, hammer on sho!lder,
Sweeing something droll o!t of every "orner,
And, if yo! smile at me, then 7<ll do for yo!E
A 0ell, "o!nt on it4 all this is going to "ost yo!
And yo!r men in bla"k, "!lling o!r re?!ests
To bat them abo!t on their ra"?!ets all in =est,
And whiser, the ras"als, softly4 J+h, what sotsEK
To "ook ! laws, and sti"k ! little ots,
$illed with "!te ink de"rees, and s!gar ills,
.!tting !s down to siGe, to am!se themselves,
Then they hold their noses when we ass by,
A +!r kind reresentatives who hate the styE A
$earf!l of nothing, nothing, b!t bayonetsF.
That<s fine. %no!gh of sn!ff and lorgnettesE
0e<ve had o!r fill, here, of those d!ll heads
And bellies of gods. AhE That<s the bread
:o! serve !s, bo!rgeoisie, while we rage here,
0hile we shatter the s"etre and the "roGierE...<
)2
-e takes his arm, tears ba"k the velvet "!rtain
And shows the vast "o!rtyards beneath them,
0here the mob swarms, and seethes, where rise,
+!t of the frightf!l mob those storm#filled "ries,
-owling as bit"hes howl, or like the sea,
0ith their knotted stakes, their ikes of steel,
0ith the "lamo!r of their market#halls and sl!ms,
A ragged mass of blood#stained "as, and dr!ms4
The 3an, thro!gh the oen window, shows all
To the ale sweating king, reeling, abo!t to fall,
Si"k at the sight of itE
BThose are the S"!m, Sire.
9i"king the walls, seething, rising higher4
A '!t then they<ve not eaten, Sire, these beggarsE
7<m a bla"ksmith4 my wife, madwoman, is thereE
She thinks she<ll get bread at the T!ileriesE
A They<ll have none of !s in the bakeries.
7<ve three yo!ngsters. 7<m s"!m, too A 7 know
+ld women weeing !nder their bonnets so
'e"a!se they<ve taken a da!ghter or a son4
+ne man was in the 'astille A oh, they<re s"!m A
Another the galleys4 both honest "itiGens.
$reed, they<re treated like dogs, these men4
7ns!ltedE Then, they have something here
That h!rts them, seeE 7t<s terrible, it<s "lear
They feel broken, feel themselves damned,
There, s"reaming beneath yo! where yo! standE
S"!m. A 1own there girls, infamo!s, shriek,
'e"a!se A well, yo! knew girls were weak A
6entlemen of the "o!rt A gave all yo! so!ght A
:o!<d sit on their so!ls, as if they were na!ghtE
@ow, yo!r retty ones are there. They<re s"!m.
),
+h, all the 0ret"hed, whose ba"ks, in the fier"e s!n
'!rn, and yet they still work on and on,
$eeling their heads b!rst with their e>ertion,
-ats off, yo! bo!rgeoisieE Those are 3en.
0e are the 0orkers, SireE 0orkersE And then
0e<re for the great new age, of knowledge, light,
0hen 3an will forge from morning to night,
8!rs!ing great effe"ts, "hasing great "a!ses,
0hen he will tame things, slowly vi"torio!s,
And like a horse, mo!nt the mighty AllE
+hE Slendo!r of the forgesE And no more
%vil, thenE A 0hat<s !nknown, its terror maybe
0e<ll knowE A -ammer in hand, let<s sieve freely
All that we know4 then, 'rothers, we<ll go onE
Sometimes we dream that dream<s vast emotion
+f the simle ardent life, where yo! revile
All evil, working beneath the a!g!st smile,
+f a woman yo! love with love<s nobility4
And all day long yo! labo!r on ro!dly,
-earing the "larion "all of d!ty so!ndingE
And yo! feel so hayH and nothing, nothing,
+h, above all, no#one makes yo! kneelE
+ver the firela"e, there, yo!<d have a rifleF
)2
+hE '!t the air is filled with the s"ent of battle.
0hat did 7 sayI 7 too am one of the ras"alsE
And there are still sharks and informers.
'!t we are freeE 0ith o!r moments of terror
0hen we feel we are great, so greatE ;!st now
7 was talking of ea"ef!l work, of howF
9ook at that skyE A Too small for !s, yo! see,
7f we feared the heat, we<d live on o!r kneesE
9ook at that skyE A 7<ll ret!rn to the "rowd,
To the vast fearf!l mob who "ry alo!d
And roll yo!r "annon thro!gh the "obbles< styH
A +hE 0e will wash them "lean when we dieE
A And if, against o!r "ries and o!r vengean"e,
The "laws of old gilded kings, all over $ran"e,
Lrge on their regiments in f!ll battle#dress,
0ell then, yo! lotI Shit to those dogs, no lessE<
)5
A -e sho!lders his hammer on"e more.
The "rowd
$eels so!l#dr!nk "lose to that man, and now
Thro!gh the great "o!rtyard, all those rooms,
0here 8aris ants and the voi"es boom,
A sh!dder shakes the immense o!la"e.
Then, with his broad hand, its grimy gra"e
6ilded, while the ot#bellied king sweats,
The 'la"ksmith set his red "a on that headE
)&
Sun and Flesh
CSoleil et $hairD
7
The S!n, the hearth of life and tenderness,
8o!rs b!rning love on the delighted earth,
And when yo! rest in the valley yo! know,
-ow n!bile earth is, how it overflowsH
-ow, raised ! by so!l, its immense breast
7s love, as 6od is, and, like woman, flesh,
And big with sa and s!nlight will en"lose
The mighty seething of all embryosE
All b!rgeons, and all risesE
A + /en!s, + goddessE
7 long for the an"ient times of yo!thf!lness,
Animalisti" fa!ns, las"ivio!s satyrs,
6ods, love#maddened, biting the bark of firs,
Kissing the blond @ymh among water liliesE
7 long for the days when the green sa of trees,
River#waters, red blood from the bran"hes, ran,
A whole !niverse, thro!gh the veins of mighty 8anE
0hen the soil trembled, green, !nder his goat#feetH
0hen, kissing bright Syrin>, soft his lis wo!ld meet,
To so!nd beneath the sky the vast hymn of loveH
0hen, in the lain, he heard abo!t him move
A living @at!re resonding to his wordH
0hen the silent trees, "radling the singing bird,
%arth, "radling man, and the whole bl!e Sea,
And all "reat!res, loved, loved in that 1eityE
)*
7 long for the age of mighty .ybele
0ho rode, they say, giganti"ally lovely,
7n her vast bronGe "hariot, thro!gh slendid "itiesH
-er twin breasts o!ring, thro!gh the immensities,
+f an infinite e>isten"e, ea"h !rest rile.
3an s!"ked haily at her blessed nile,
9ike a little infant, laying on her knee.
A Strong, 3an knew gentleness and "hastity.
3iseryE @ow he says4 all things 7 know,
And goes abo!t eyes sh!t and ears "losed.
A .ries4 @o more gods, no moreE 3an is king,
3an is 6odE 9ove<s o!r $aith, the noblest thingE
+h, if only man still drank there at yo!r breast,
.ybele, mother of gods, men, all the restE
7f he had not forsaken deathless Astarte,
0ho rising, on"e, from the immense "larity
+f bl!e waters, flesh#flower the wave erf!med,
Showed her rosy navel where snowed the foam,
6oddess with vast bla"k "on?!ering eyes, to move
The nightingale to song, the heart to loveE
)8
77
7 believe in yo!, 7 believeE +h, divine mother,
Sea#borne AhroditeE A Ah, the ath is bitter
Sin"e another 6od yoked !s to his "ross. :o!,
$lesh, 3arble, $lower, /en!s, 7 believe in yo!E
A :es, 3an is !gly, sad !nder this vast sky,
0earing "lothes, now his "hastity<s laid by,
Sin"e he<s defiled his ro!d godlike head,
9ike an idol in the fire, has bowed instead
-is +lymian form to basest slaveriesE
:es, as a ale skeleton, after his de"ease,
-e wo!ld live on, ins!lting rimal bea!tyE
A And the 7dol in whom yo! raised virginity,
7n whom yo! made o!r "lay divine, 0oman,
So as to light the imoverished so!l of 3an
That he might arise, in love<s immensity,
$rom earthly rison to the day<s !re bea!ty,
@o longer knows how to lay the "o!rtesanE
A 0hat a fine far"eE And the world again
Sniggers at the sweet and sa"red name of /en!sE
)(
777
7f those times wo!ld b!t ret!rn, times lost to !sE
A $or 3an is finishedE 3an has layed every artE
7n the light, tired of breaking idols, see him start
To revive on"e more, free of all his deities,
And s"an the heavens, sin"e he is heavenlyE
The 7deal, the invin"ible tho!ght, eternal
AllH the god that lives in his fleshly thrall,
0ill rise, and mo!nt, b!rn beneath his browE
And when he so!nds the whole horiGon now,
1esising an"ient yokes, free of treidation,
:o! will "ome bringing sa"red RedemtionE
A Slendid, radiant, from deths of vast seas,
:o! will arise, and grant 9ove<s infinities
0ith their eternal smile to the h!ge LniverseE
The 0orld will vibrate like a vast lyre A it thirsts
The 0orld thirsts for love4 yo!<ll bring it bliss A
7n the trembling there of an enormo!s kissE
20
7/
+ slendo!r of the fleshE + ideal slendo!rE
+ love renewed, tri!mhant dawn a!rora,
0here, at their feet the 6ods and -eroes,
.alliyge the white and her little %ros,
1rowned in the snow of rose#etals, ress
0omen and flowers beneath their feet<s "aressE
A + great Ariadne, dren"h the sand with tears
As visibly, o!t there on the waves, aears
These!s< sail, flying white beneath the s!nH
+ sweet virgin "hild, by a night !ndone,
Silen"eE 7n his gold "ar strewn with bla"k graes,
9ysios, wandering over 8hrygian lands"aes,
1rawn by las"ivio!s tigers, tawny anthers,
Reddens the sombre moss by aG!re rivers.
A Me!s, the '!ll, like a "hild<s kees from harm
%!roa<s naked body, who "asts a white arm
+ver the 6od<s tense ne"k, trembling the waveF
Slowly he t!rns on her his dreamy gaGeH
She lets her ale flowerlike "heek rest, it lies
Against Me!s< browH her eyes "loseH she dies
7n a divine kiss, the waves, m!rm!ring there,
Adorning with golden foam her !nbo!nd hair.
A 'etween the oleander and the ga!dy lot!s,
The great dreaming Swan slides by, all amoro!s,
$olding 9eda in the whiteness of its wingH
A And as .yris asses, strange lovely thing,
Ar"hing the slendid "!rves of ba"k and ne"k,
8ro!dly dislaying her large golden breasts
And snowy belly embroidered with bla"k moss,
A -er"!les, Tamer of 'easts, draws a"ross
-is h!ge body his lion<s skin, like a glory,
$ronts the horiGon, his brow sweet and deadlyE
2)
/ag!ely lit now by the moon of s!mmer,
%re"t and naked, dreaming in golden allor,
Streaked by her heavy wave of long bl!e hair,
7n the shadowy glade starred by the moss,
The 1ryad views the silent sky ! thereF
A 0hite Selene, allows her veil to ass,
$earf!lly, over lovely %ndymion<s feet,
And throws him a ale beam, kiss dis"reetF
A The $o!ntain wees in slow e"stasy afarF
7t<s the @ymh who dreams, an elbow on her vase,
+f the fine yo!ng man her wave has to!"hed.
A A breeGe of love thro!gh the night has washed,
And, in the sa"red wood, its terrifying arbo!rs,
3a=esti"ally ere"t, the sombre 3arbles,
The 6ods, on whose brow the '!llfin"h has birth,
A The 6ods listen to 3an, and the infinite %arthE
Ma% 70
22
Ophelia
C&'hlieD
7
+n the "alm bla"k wave where the stars slee
0hite +helia, an immense lily, drifts by,
9ying in her long veils, she floats the deeF
A 7n far#off woods yo! hear the h!ntsman<s "ry.
$or more than a tho!sand years, sad +helia
0hite hantom, has sailed the long bla"k flow.
$or more than a tho!sand years, her sweet folly
-as m!rm!red its song while night breeGes blow.
The wind kisses her breasts and wreathes flare
$rom her long veils ro"ked gently by the streamH
Trembling willows wee on her sho!lders there,
The r!shes lean over her brow<s broad dream.
The r!ffled water#lilies sigh all ro!nd herH
At times, in a sl!mbering alder, her assage =ars
A nest, from whi"h es"aes a wing<s slight stirH
A A mysterio!s "hant falls from the golden stars.
2,
77
+ ale +heliaE 9ovely as the snowE
:es, yo! died, "hild, taken by the riverE
A 7t was the winds from @orway<s eaks that blow
That soke to yo! softly of freedom the bitterH
Twining long tresses, it was the wind<s whiser,
To yo!r dreaming sirit, bro!ght strange r!mo!rsH
7t was yo!r heart hearing the song of @at!re
7n the bo!ghs< moaning, and the night<s tremorsH
7t was the voi"e of maddened seas, vast roaring,
Shattering yo!r "hild<s breast, too tender, h!manH
7t was a ale fair lord, one Aril morning,
9eaning against yo!r knees, a oor madmanE
SkyE 9oveE $reedomE 0hat dreams, oor "raGed oneE
:o! melted for him as snow does in the blaGeH
:o!r words were strangled by yo!r grand vision
A And fearf!l 7nfinity daGGled yo!r bl!e gaGeE
22
777
A And the 8oet tells how in the starlight ale
The flowers yo! "!lled, by night, yo! "ome seeking,
-ow he has seen on the stream, lying in her long veil,
9ike an immense lily, white +helia floating.
25
Ballad of the Hanged
C(al des PendusD
+ne#armed friend, on the bla"k gallows,
1an"e on, dan"e on, the aladins,
The lean aladins of the devil,
The skeleton Saladins.
Sire 'eelGeb!b takes by the s"r!ff of the ne"k
-is little bla"k !ets that s"owl at the sky,
And, with a ba"k#hand blow to the head,
3akes them =ig to an old "arol, on highE
And the =ostled !ets twine their thin arms4
9ike bla"k organ#ies, their breasts to the light
That, on"e, gentle ladies ressed to their "harms,
.lased witho!t end in love<s hideo!s delight.
-!rrahE The bright dan"ers, whose bellies are goneE
:o! "an "!t "aers, both ends and the middleE
-oE @ever mind if it<s fighting, dan"e onE
0hile 'eelGeb!b, maddened, saws at his fiddleE
+h the hard heels, no !se here for a shoeE
They<ve all nearly ?!itted their shirt of skinH
The rest<s no embarrassment, seen witho!t sin.
+n ea"h "rani!m, snow<s set a white "a too4
A "row makes a l!me for ea"h "ra"ked sk!ll,
A morsel of flesh "lings to every lean "hin4
:o!<d "all them, twisting in sombre battle,
Stiff knights in "ardboard armo!r, worn thin.
2&
-!rrahE The wind sighs at the skeleton<s ballE
The bla"k gibbet moans like an organ of steelE
7n answer, the wolves from the bl!e forests "all4
The horiGon a hellish red sky m!st revealF
-o, shake these f!nereal braggarts, 7 say,
.raftily telling with long broken fingers,
A rosary of love on their ale vertebrae4
:o!, the dearted, we<re not in the "loistersE
+h, see in the midst of this danse macabre
-ow a tall mad skeleton leas to the sky
7nsired by ardo!r, a b!"king horse rather4
0ho, feeling the roe on his ne"k, by and by,
.len"hes his kn!"kles on thighs with a "ra"k,
Lttering "ries and satiri"al moans,
And, then like a t!mbler renews the atta"k,
Skis ba"k to the dan"e with a "reaking of bonesE
+ne#armed friend, on the bla"k gallows,
1an"e on, dan"e on, the aladins,
The lean aladins of the devil,
The skeleton Saladins.
2*
Romance
C)omanD
7
:o!<re not serio!s, when yo!<re seventeen.
A +ne fine evening, tired of beers and lemonade,
The noisy "afNs with their daGGling gleamE
A :o! walk the lime#trees< green on the 8arade.
The lime#trees smell so fine on fine ;!ne eveningsE
The air<s so sweet sometimes yo! "lose yo!r eyes4
The wind is f!ll of so!nds A the town<s nearby A
'lows the smell of beer, and the s"ent of vinesF
77
A Then yo! make o!t a little tiny tatter
+f sombre aG!re framed by a twig of night,
8ier"ed by a fatal star, it melts, after
Soft tremblings, tiny and erfe"tly whiteF
;!ne nightE And SeventeenE A :o! get tisy.
The sa<s "hamagne and bl!rs every feat!reF
:o! wander4 yo! feel a kiss on yo!r lis
That ?!ivers there, like some tiny "reat!reF.
28
777
:o!r mad heart goes .r!soeing the roman"es,
A 0here in the ale lam<s glare yo!r eyes follow
A yo!ng girl going by with sweet little glan"es
'elow the gloom of her father<s stiffened "ollarF
And be"a!se she finds yo! immensely naOve
As by, in her little ankle boots, she tris
She t!rns away alertly with a ?!i"k shr!gF
A And ca*atinas die away on yo!r lisF.

:o!<re in love. Taken till the month of A!g!st.
:o!<re in love. A:o!r sonnets make her smile.
All yo!r friends have gone4 yo!<re in bad taste.
A Then the adored, one evening, deigns to writeE
That eveningF. yo! ret!rn to the "afNs gleam,
:o! "all o!t for beer or lemonadeF
A :o!<re not serio!s, when yo!<re seventeen
And the lime#trees are green on the 8arade.
"+ Se'tember 70
2(
Eighteen Sevent
CMorts de ,uatre-.ingt-/ou0eD
1 223Frenchmen of 470, (ona'artists, )e'ublicans,
remember %our forefathers of 5!"236
Paul de $assagnac 7Le Pa%s8
:o! 1ead of ninety#two and ninety#three,
0ho, ale from the great kiss of 9iberty,
.r!shed, "alm, beneath yo!r wooden shoes
That yoke that weighs on h!man brows and so!ls4
3en e>alted, great in agony,
:o! whose hearts raged with love, in misery,
+ soldiers that 1eath, noble 9over, has sown
7n all the old f!rrows, so they<ll be reborn4
:o! whose blood washed every soiled grande!r,
1ead of /almy, 1ead of $le!r!s, 1ead of 7taly,
+ millions of .hrists with eyes gentle and sombre4
0e<ve let yo! fall aslee with the Re!bli",
0e, "owering !nder kings as if !nder blows.
A They<re telling tales of yo! so we<ll rememberE
/one at Ma0as, + Se'tember 1870
,0
Rage of The Caesars
C9a'oleon ::: after SedanD
C)ages /es $sarsD
The ale 3an walks thro!gh the flowery s"ene,
1ressed in bla"k, a "igar between his teeth4
The ale 3an thinks of the flowers of the T!ileries
And sometimes his fishlike#eye grows keenF
The %meror<s dr!nk with his twenty#year orgyE
-e said to himself4 B7<ll sn!ff o!t 9iberty
As if it were a "andle, and so deli"atelyEK
9iberty revivesE -e feels himself e>ha!stedE
-e<s in rison. A +hE 0hat name is it that trembles
+n his m!te lisI 0hat relentless regret does he feelI
@o one will ever know. The %meror<s eye<s dark.
-e re"alls the BA""omli"e<, erhas, in se"ta"lesF
0at"hing a thin wreathe of smoke steal,
As on those Saint#.lo!d evenings, from his "igar.
9ote; This is 9a'oleon :::, in 1870, im'risoned and ill, at
<ilhelmshoehe in Prussia3 =mile &lli*ier, his Minister at the
outbrea> of the Franco-Prussian <ar, #ho failed to o''ose its
declaration, is the 4ccom'lice53
,)
The Famous !ictor of Saarbrucken
CL5=clatante .ictoire de Sarrebr?c>D
7(elgian 'rint, brilliantl% tinted,
sold at $harleroi, +@ centimes8
At "entre, the %meror, bl!e#yellow, in aotheosis,
6allos off, ramrod straight, on his fine gee#gee,
/ery hay A sin"e everything he sees is rosy,
$ier"e as Me!s, and as gentle as a 1addy is4
The brave 7nfantrymen taking a na, in vain,
Lnder the gilded dr!ms and s"arlet "annon,
Rise olitely. +ne !ts his t!ni" ba"k on,
And, t!rns to the .hief, st!nned by the big nameE
+n the right, another, leaning on his rifle b!tt,
$eeling the hair rise at the ba"k of his ne"k,
Sho!ts4 B/ive 9<%mere!rEEK A his neighbo!r<s m!teF
A shako rises, like a bla"k s!nFA 7n the midst
The last, a simleton in red and bl!e, lying on his g!t
6ets !, and, A showing his arse A asks4 J+n whatIK
,2
" #inter $ream
C)A* 'our l5Bi*erD
To 2 Ber
7n winter we<ll travel in a little ink "arriage
0ith "!shions of bl!e.
0e<ll be fine. A nest of mad kisses waits
7n ea"h "orner too.
:o!<ll sh!t yo!r eyes, not to see, thro!gh the glass,
6rima"ing shadows of evening,
Those snarling monsters, a "rowd going ast
+f bla"k wolves and bla"k demons.
Then yo!<ll feel yo!r "heek ti"kled ?!ite hardF
A little kiss, like a maddened sider,
0ill r!n over yo!r ne"kF
And yo!<ll say4 J.at"h itEK bowing yo!r head,
A And we<ll take o!r time finding that "reat!re
A 0ho travels so farF
:n the rail#a% carriage, 7 &ctober 70
,,
Evil
CLe MalD

0hile the red sittle of the grae#shot
0histles all day in the infinite bl!e sky4
0hile the battalions, s"arlet or green, fly,
'y the King who =eers, en masse, into the ot4
0hile the terrible st!idity grinds and "r!shes,
And makes a smoking hea of a tho!sand men4
A 8oor 1eadE 7n s!mmer, among the r!shes,
7n yo!r =oy, sa"red @at!re, who "reated themEF
A There<s a 6od, who la!ghs at altar#"loths
+f damask, in"ense, and great gold "hali"es4
0ho doGes to -osannas for l!llaby,
And wakes when mothers, gathered in their grief,
0eeing !nder their old bla"k bonnets, sigh
And yield -im the "oin knotted in their handker"hief.

,2
% Bohemia& " Fantas
CMa (ohme4 FantaisieD
7 ran off, fists in my ragged seams4
%ven my over"oat was be"oming 7deal4
7 went !nder the sky, 3!seE 7 was yo!rs4
+hE 0hat mira"!lo!s loves 7 dreamedE
3y only air of ants was a big hole.
A Tom Th!mb the dreamer, sowing the roads there
0ith rhymes. 3y inn the Sign of the 6reat 'ear.
A 3y stars in the sky r!stling to and fro.
7 heard them, s?!atting by the wayside,
7n Setember twilights, there 7 felt the dew
1ri on my forehead, like a fier"e "oarse wine.
0here, rhyming into the fantasti" dark,
7 l!"ked, like lyre strings, the elasti"s
+f my tattered shoes, a foot ressed to my heart.
,5
"t The 'reen (nn
Cu $abaret-.ertD
$or eight days, 7<d ried ! my boots
+n the road stones. 7<d made .harleroi.
A At the 6reen 7nn4 7 ordered bread
'!ttered, along with half#"old ham.
-ay, 7 stret"hed my legs o!t !nder the table,
A green one4 "onsidering the naOve rints
+n the walls. A And it was "harming,
0hen the girl with big tits and lively eyes,
A That one, =!st a kiss wo!ldn<t s"are herE A
Smiling, bro!ght me sli"es of bread and b!tter,
0ith l!kewarm ham on a "olo!red latter,
-am, white and ink, a fragrant garli" "love,
A And filled a h!ge beer m!g high, its foam
T!rned by a ray of late s!nlight to gold.
,&
The Sl 'irl
CLa MalineD
7n the brown dining#room, its erf!med air
$!ll of the smell of wa> and fr!it, at ease
7 gathered a late of who knows what 'elgian
1ish, and marvelled in my enormo!s "hair.
%ating 7 listened to the "lo"k A silent, hay.
The kit"hen door oened with a g!st,
A And the serving girl "ame in, who knows why,
Shawl half#off, hair dressed "!nningly.
And, to!"hing her little finger tremblingly
To her "heek, a ink and white velvet#ea"h,
And making a "hildish o!t with her lis,
She tidied the lates to !t me at my ease4
A Then, =!st like that A to get a kiss, for "ertain A
0hisered4 B$eel4 7t<s "a!ght a "old, my "heek...<
$harleroi, &ctober 70
,*
The Sleeper in the !alle
CLe /ormeur du .alD
7t<s a green hollow where a river sings
3adly "at"hing white tatters in the grass.
0here the s!n on the ro!d mo!ntain rings4
7t<s a little valley, foaming like light in a glass.
A "ons"rit, oen#mo!thed, his bare head
And bare ne"k bathed in the "ool bl!e "ress,
Slees4 stret"hed o!t, !nder the sky, on grass,
8ale where the light rains down on his green bed.
$eet in the yellow flags, he slees. Smiling
As a si"k "hild might smile, he<s doGing.
@at!re, ro"k him warmly4 he is "old.
The s"ents no longer make his nostrils twit"h4
-e slees in the s!nlight, one hand on his "hest,
Tran?!il. 7n his right side, there are two red holes.
,8
Evening Praer
C&raison du SoirD
7 sit to life A an angel in a barber<s "hair,
A finely fl!ted beer#m!g grased in my fist,
A "!rve to its ne"k and belly, a ie there
7n my teeth, air rank with imalable mist.
9ike warm e>"rement in an old dove"ote,
A tho!sand 1reams inside softly b!rn4
At times my sad heart like sawood floats
'loodied by the dark gold driing !rn.
0hen 7<ve dr!nk my dreams, "aref!lly,
-aving downed thirty or forty =ars, 7 sto,
And gather myself, to ease my bitter need4
6entle as the 9ord of "edar and hyssos,
7 iss towards dark skies, high and heavenly,
Aroved of by the giant heliotroes.
,(
% )ittle )overs
CMes Petites moureusesD
A la"hrymal tin"t!re bathes
The "abbage#green roofs4
Lnder the tender tree that lavesF
:o!r r!bber waterroofs
0hitened by e"!liar moons
0ith ro!nd staring eyes,
Kno"k yo!r knees together, too,
3y !gly g!ysE
0e loved ea"h other in those days
'l!e !gly oneE
0e !sed to eat soft#boiled eggs,
.hi"kweed, a tonE
+ne night, yo! anointed me oet,
'londe, and !gly4
.ome down here, and yo!<ll get it,
A"ross my kneeH
7<ve !ked ! yo!r brilliantine,
1ark, !gly so and soH
:o! "!t off my mandolin
0hile in f!ll flow.
8ahE 3y dried salivas,
:o! ginger !gliness,
Still infe"t the f!rrows
+f yo!r ro!nd breastE
20
+h my little lovers
-ow 7 hate yo!E
8laster with ainf!l blisters
:o!r sad tits tooE
Tramle on my old vases
+f sentimentH
A -o to itE 'e ballerinas
$or one momentE...
They<re o!t of =oint yo!r sho!lders,
+h, my loversE
0ith a star on yo!r ba"k that smo!lders
T!rn yo!r tri"ks there.
And yet it<s for those thi"k lis
3y rhymes 7<ve rovedE
7<d like to shatter yo!r his
$or having lovedE
1!ll mass of fallen stars,
8ile in the "orners thereE
A :o!<ll die into 6od, marred
'y ignoble "areE
Lnder e"!liar moons
0ith ro!nd staring eyes,
Kno"k yo!r knees together, too,
3y !gly g!ysE
2)
Poets at Seven *ears
CLes PoCtes de Se't nsD
And the mother, "losing the work#book
0ent off, ro!d, satisfied, not seeing,
7n the bl!e eyes, !nder the l!my brow,
The so!l of her "hild given over to loathing.
All day he sweated obedien"e4 very
7ntelligent4 yet dark habits, "ertain traits
Seemed to show bitter hyo"risies at workE
7n the shadow of "orridors with dam aer,
-e st!"k o!t his tong!e in assing, two fists
7n his groin, seeing se"ks !nder his sh!t lids.
A doorway oen to evening4 by the light
:o!<d see him, high !, groaning on the railing
Lnder a void of light h!ng from the roof. 7n s!mmer,
%se"ially, van?!ished, st!efied, st!bborn,
-e<d sh!t himself in the toilet<s "oolness4
-e "o!ld think in ea"e there, sa"rifi"ing his nostrils.
0hen the small garden "leansed of the smell of day,
$illed with light, behind the ho!se, in winter,
9ying at the foot of a wall, b!ried in "lay
R!bbing his daGGled eyes hard, for the visions,
-e listened to the s"abbed esaliers "reaking.
8ityE -is only "omanions were those "hildren
'are#headed and !ny, eyes s!nk in their "heeks,
-iding thin fingers yellow and bla"k with m!d
Lnder old "lothes soiled with e>"rement,
0ho talked with the sweetness of the simle#mindedE
22
And if his mother took fright, s!rrising him
At his vile "omassions4 the "hild<s dee
Tenderness over"ame her astonishment.
All fine. She<d had the bl!e look, A that liesE
At seven he was making novels abo!t life
7n the great desert, where ravished $reedom shines,
$orests, s!ns, riverbanks, savannahsE A -e !sed
7ll!strated weeklies where he saw, bl!shing,
Smiling 7talian girls, and Sanish women.
0hen the da!ghter of ne>t door workers "ame by,
%ight years old A in 7ndian rints, brown#eyed,
A little br!te, and =!med him from behind,
Shaking o!t her tresses, in a "orner,
And he was !nder her, he bit her b!tto"ks,
Sin"e she never wore kni"kers4
A And, br!ised by her fists and heels,
.arried the taste of her ba"k to his room.
-e feared the allid 1e"ember S!ndays,
0hen, hair sli"ked ba"k, at a mahogany table,
-e read from a 'ible with "abbage#green margins4
1reams oressed him ea"h night in the al"ove.
-e didn<t love 6od4 rather those men in the d!sk,
Ret!rning, bla"k, in smo"ks, to the o!ter s!b!rbs
0here the town#"rier, with a trile dr!m beat,
3ade the "rowds la!gh and m!rm!r at the edi"ts.
A -e dreamed of the amoro!s rairies, where
9!mino!s swells, !re odo!rs, gold !bes"en"es,
Stirred in the "alm there, and then took flightE
2,
And above all how he savo!red sombre things,
0hen, in his bare room behind "losed sh!tters,
-igh, and bl!e, and ier"ed with a"rid dam,
-e read his novel, mooned over endlessly,
$!ll of drowned forests, leaden o"hre skies,
$lowers of flesh oening in star#filled woods,
1iGGiness, eilesies, defeats, "omassionE
A 0hile the street noises r!mbled on below,
9ying alone on ie"es of !nblea"hed "anvas,
0ith a violent resentiment of setting sailE
22
The Stolen Heart
CLe $oeur .olD
3y sad heart leaks at the oo,
3y heart "overed in filthy shag4
They s?!irt it with =ets of so!,
3y sad heart leaks at the oo4
Lnder the =ibes of that ro!gh troo
1rowned in la!ghter, see them rag,
3y sad heart leaks at the oo,
3y heart "overed in filthy shagE
7thyhalli" and "oarse, their =ests
They<ve "orr!ted it every wayE
+n the wheelho!se their grotes?!es,
7thyhalli" and "oarse their =ests.
+ waves, abra"adabrantes?!e,
Take my heart, wash all awayE
7thyhalli" and "oarse their =ests,
They<ve "orr!ted it every wayE
0hen they<ve finished "hewing their l!gs,
0hat shall we do + stolen heartI
Then 'a""hi" hi""!s from !gly m!gs4
0hen they<ve finished "hewing their l!gs4
3y g!ts will heave, the filthy l!gs,
7f it<s swallowed o!tright, my heart4
0hen they<ve finished "hewing their l!gs
0hat shall we do + stolen heartI
Ma% 1871
25
The Parisian Org+ or Paris Repeopled
CL5&rgie Parisienne, ou Paris Se )e'eu'leD
+ .owards, we<re hereE 8latforms of lightE
The s!n with fiery l!ngs has "leared, at last,
'o!levards that 'arbarians held for a night.
'ehold the sa"red .ity, "o!"hed in the 0estE
+nE 0e will revent the ret!rn of fire,
-ere are the ?!ays, the bo!levards, and here
The ho!ses against an aG!re radiant sky,
Starred by night when the bombs rose "learE
-ide the dead ala"es with lanks like shisE
The setting s!n, fearf!l, brightens yo!r fa"es.
See the red#headed troo, the wrigglers of his4
-aggard, yo!<ll seem droll, if yo! a"t "raGyE
%ating o!lti"es, a"k of bit"hes on heat,
The "ry of gilded ho!ses "alls to yo!. StealE
%atE -ere is the night of =oy, its sasms dee,
1es"ending on the street. + desolates, reel
0ith drinkE 0hen day intense and mindless,
.omes strewing r!stling l!>!ries aro!nd yo!,
0o!ld yo! dribble, motionless and so!ndless,
7nto yo!r glass, eyes fi>ed on some white viewI

6!l, for the P!een, her arse that falls in foldsE
9isten o!t, for the work of st!id tearing
-i""!sE -ear them lea in night<s fiery gold4
The old, the !seless, la"keys, and fools antingE
2&
+ hearts of dirt, + yo! disg!sting mo!ths,
0ork more vigoro!sly, mo!ths of horrorE
0ine, for these ignoble torors< dro!thsF
:o!r bellies melt with shame, + .on?!erorsE

To s!erb na!seas let yo!r nostrils gaeE
Stee yo!r ne"k<s tendons in fo!lest oisonE
9owering "rossed hands on yo!r "hildish nae
The 8oet "ommands4 B+ "owards, forgo reasonE
'e"a!se it<s the 0oman<s g!ts yo!<re rifling,
A f!rther "onv!lsion yet yo! fear from her,
A "ry, ashy>iating yo!r infamo!s er"hing
+ver her breast, with its dreadf!l ress!re.
Syhiliti"s, kings, mad !ets, ventrilo?!ists,
0hat "an they matter then to 8aris the whore,
:o!r oisons or yo!r rags, yo!r minds or fistsI
She<ll shake them off, those rotten snarling =awsE
And when yo!<re down, whimering on yo!r bellies,
:o!r flanks wr!ng, "lamo!ring for yo!r s!er,
The distra!ght "o!rtesan, breasts rie for sallies,
0ill "len"h her hard fists, far from yo!r st!orE<
0hen yo!r feet dan"ed with s!"h intense anger,
8arisE 0hen yo! knew so many "!ts of the knife,
0hen yo! lay there, retaining in yo!r eyes, "lear,
Some of the goodness of sring<s tawny life,
+ "ity almost dead, + "ity of dolo!r,
:o!r fa"e and breasts =!tting towards the $!t!re,
+ening its tho!sand gates to yo!r allor,
.ity whom the sombre 8ast wo!ld hono!r4
2*
'ody re#galvanised to end!re vast ains,
:o! drink dreadf!l life on"e moreE :o! feel
A fl!> of livid worms writhe thro!gh yo!r veins,
And i"y fingers on yo!r bright love "ongealE
@o matter. The worms, the worms< lividity
.an no more obstr!"t yo!r breath of 8rogress
Than the Stri> ?!en"h the eyes of .aryatides,
'l!e ledges, where the astral gold tears ress.
Tho!gh it is frightf!l to see yo! so smotheredH
Tho!gh there was never formed of any "ity
A fo!ler !l"er on the green fa"e of @at!re,
The 8oet still "ries4 BSlendid is yo!r 'ea!tyE<
The temest made of yo! s!reme oetryH
The immense stir of for"e ?!ells yo!r sighsH
:o!r work seethes, death groans, "hosen .ityE
-oard, in yo!r heart, the fatal tr!met<s "ries.
The 8oet will garner sobs of the 7nfamo!s,
The 6alleys< hatred, the "lamo!r of the .!rsedH
And 0oman will be s"o!rged by his rays of love.
-is verses will lea high4 /illains, yo!r worstE
A So"iety, all is restored4 A the orgiasts
7n the an"ient brothels raise their an"ient "ries4
And on the reddened walls the frenGied gas
$lares sinisterly towards ale aG!re skiesE
Ma% 1871
28
,eanne-%arie.s Hands
CLes Mains de Deanne-MarieD
;eanne#3arie has strong hands,
-ers are dark, tanned by s!mmer,
'loodless hands like a dead man<s
A Are they the hands of ;!anaI
1id they win their "reamy#brown
Sailing some vol!t!o!s seaI
-ave they died in moons, fo!nd
7n waters of serenityI
-ave they dr!nk of barbaro!s skies,
.almly on delightf!l kneesI
-ave they rolled "igars, wise
To trade in diamonds and r!biesI
+n b!rning feet of 3adonnas
-ave they thrown gold flowery "harmsI
The bla"k blood of belladonnas
0akes and slees in their alms.
-ands that "hase the 1itera
0ith whi"h the a!roral bl!e
'!GGes, there, towards the ne"tarI
-ands that meas!re oison<s brewI
+h, what 1ream has seiGed them
7n their andi"!lationsI
A wild dream of Asias then,
+f Kengawers or MionsI
2(
A They sold no oranges these hands
@or tanned at the feet of deities4
They washed no swaddling bands
+f eyeless and weighty babies.
They<re not the hands of "o!sins
@or the broad#browed working girls
'rows that, dr!nk with tar, the s!n
7n woods that stink of fa"tories, b!rns.
They are benders of the sine,
-ands that never work !s evil,
Stronger than ma"hines in line,
Than the horse more owerf!lE
Seething like the f!rna"es,
Shaking off ea"h sh!dder,
Their flesh sings the 3arseillaise
'!t the %leison neverE
They<ll gras yo!r ne"ks, + evil
0omen, yo!rs, they<ll "r!sh them,
All yo!r infamo!s hands, noble
0omen, white and "armine.
The glory of those hands of love
T!rns the heads of ewesE
+n their =!i"y halanges
The vast s!n sets a r!by too.
A stain from the o!la"e
'rowns them like an"ient titsH
The ba"ks of those hands the la"e
That ea"h ro!d Rebel kissedE
50
They have aled, marvello!s,
7n the hot s!n filled with love,
+n the bronGe of ma"hine#g!ns
A"ross ins!rgent 8aris movedE
Ah, sometimes, abo!t yo!r wrists,
+ sa"red -ands, there h!ng again,
0here o!r never#sobered lis
Trembled, -ands, a shining "hainE
And there<s a s!dden 9!r"h too
7n o!r being, when, indeed,
Angeli" -ands, they<d blan"h yo!,
'y making all yo!r fingers bleedE
5)
The Sisters of Charit
CLes Soeurs de $haritD
That bright#eyed and brown#skinned yo!th,
The fine twenty#year body that sho!ld go naked,
That, brow "ir"led with "oer, !nder the moon,
An !nknown 8ersian 6enie wo!ld have worshiedH
7met!o!s with virginal sweetnesses,
And dark, ro!d of his first obstina"ies,
9ike tears of the s!mmer night<s distresses,
That t!rn on beds of diamond, yo!ng seasH
The yo!th, fa"ed with this world<s !gliness,
Sh!dders in his heart, wo!nded deely,
And, f!ll of rofo!nd eternal emtiness,
'egins to long for his sister of "harity.
'!t, + 0oman, hea of entrails, itying, sweet,
:o! are never the Sister of "harity, never,
1ark gaGe, belly where rose shadows slee,
Slendidly formed breasts, slender fingers.
'lind !n#awakened one, with eyes enormo!s,
+!r every embra"e is merely a ?!estion4
'earer of breasts it<s yo! who hang on !s,
0e who n!rse yo!, "harming and grave assion.
:o!r hatreds, yo!r d!mb torors, yo!r weaknesses,
And yo!r br!talisation s!ffered long ago,
:o! give ba"k, + @ight, like an e>"ess,
Ln#malevolent, of blood, ea"h month or so.
52
A 0hen 0oman, borne for an instant, taken on,
Terrifies 9ove, life<s "all and song of a"tion,
The green 3!se and b!rning ;!sti"e "ome
To dismember him with their a!g!st obsession.
AhE %ndlessly thirsting for slendo!rs and "alms,
$orsaken by both imla"able Sisters, whimering
0ith tenderness for the s"ien"e of soothing arms,
-e brings his blood#stained brow to @at!re<s flowering.
'!t, wo!nded, sa"red st!dies, shadowy al"hemy
Are re!gnant to the ro!d sombre s"holarH
-e feels the atro"io!s advan"e of all that<s solitary.
So, still handsome, witho!t disg!st for the bier,
9et him, traversing all the nights of Tr!th,
.redit vast ends, 1reams, immense ;o!rney,
And in his so!l and si"k limbs "all on yo!,
+ mysterio!s 1eath, + sister of "harityE
Dune 1871.
5,
First Communions
CLes Premires $ommunionsD
Tr!ly, they<re st!id, these village "h!r"hes
0here fifteen !gly "hi"ks soiling the illars
9isten, trilling o!t their divine resonses,
To a bla"k freak whose boots stink of "ellars4
'!t the s!n wakes now, thro!gh the bran"hes,
The irreg!lar stained#glass<s an"ient "olo!rs.
The stone always smells of its earthly mother.
:o!<ll see masses of those earthy ro"ks
7n the r!tting "o!ntry that solemnly ?!ivers,
And bears, on o"hro!s aths, near heavy "ros,
Those b!rnt shr!bs where the sloe t!rns bl!er,
Those bla"k m!lberries the hedge#roses to.
+n"e a "ent!ry, they make the barns rese"table
0ith a wash of "!rdled milk and bl!e water4
7f grotes?!e mysteries are viewed as notable,
@ear to the straw#st!ffed Saint or 3adonna,
$lies, that know every inn and every stable,
6orge on wa> there, dotting the s!nlit floor.
The "hild<s d!ty above all<s to home and family,
Simle "ares, honest toil that st!efiesH
They go, forgetting how their skin "rawls freely
0here the 8riest of .hrist<s owerf!l finger lies.
The 8riest has a ho!se shaded with hornbeam
So he "an loose these tanned brows to the light.
52
The first bla"k s!it, the finest astries, there,
'eneath the little 1r!mmer or @aoleon
Some late where ;osehs and 3arthas stare,
Sti"king their tong!es o!t with e>"ess emotion,
;oined, on the day of tr!th, by mas, a air,
Are the sole sweet mementoes of 1evotion.
The girls always go to "h!r"h, "ontent forever
To hear themselves "alled bit"hes by the sons,
0ho !t on airs, after 3ass or S!ng /esers,
Those who are destined to gra"e the garrisons,
7n "afes ta!nt the imortant families, sni"ker,
1ressed in new =a"kets, yelling frightf!l songs.
3eanwhile the .!rN for the "hildren<s "hoosing
8i"t!resH in his garden, and, when /esers done,
The air fills with the distant so!nd of dan"ing,
-e feels, desite all "elestial inhibition,
-is "alves beat time, his toes with =oy wrigglingH
A @ight stes, dark irate, onto skies all golden.

77
The 8riest has noted among the "ate"hists,
6athering from the $a!bo!rgs and the P!arters,
This little !nknown girl, her eyes ale mist,
-er sallow brow. -er arents h!mble orters4
B+n the great 1ay, seeing her among the .ate"hists,
6od will snow down blessings on this da!ghter.<
777
+n the eve of the great 1ay, the "hild feels ill.
'etter than in the tall .h!r"h<s dismal m!rm!ring,
$irst a sh!dder "omes A bed<s not !ninteresting A still,
The s!ernat!ral sh!dder may ret!rn4 B7<m dyingF<
55
And, like a theft of love from her st!id sisters,
She sees, e>ha!sted and hands on heart, there,
Angels, ;es!s, a -oly /irgin that glimmersH
And "almly her whole so!l swallows her "on?!eror.
AdonaiE F A 7n their 9atin endings dressed,
Skies shot with green bathe 'rows of "rimson,
And, stained by !re blood from heavenly breasts,
A"ross swirling s!ns, fall great snowy linensE
A $or her resent and f!t!re virginities
She bites on the freshness of yo!r Remission,
'!t more so than sweetmeats or water#lilies,
:o!r forgiveness is like i"e, + P!een of MionE
7/
Then the /irgin<s no more than the virgin of the book.
3ysti"al im!lses are often thwartedF
The hideo!s rint and the old wood"!t "ome,
8overty of images, bronGe#sheathed by boredom.
Startled, her dream of "haste bl!eness,
'y vag!ely inde"ent "!riosities,
S!rrises itself among "elestial t!ni"s,
9inen with whi"h .hrist veils his n!dities.
She yearns, she yearns, still, so!l in distress,
'row on the illow ra"ked by m!ffled so!nds,
To rolong the s!reme flashes of tenderness,
And dribbles A 1arkness over ho!se and gro!nds.
And the "hild "an bear it no longer, she stirs,
Ar"hes her ba"k, oens the bl!e bed#hangings,
To draw the "oolness of the room towards her,
'eneath the sheet, to breasts< and belly<s b!rning.
5&
/
0aking A at midnight A the window#anes were
0hite. 8ast the bl!e slee of moonlit hangings,
The vision of S!nday "ando!rs "at!red herH
She<d dreamed of red. -er nose was bleeding,
And, feeling ?!ite "haste and f!ll of weakness,
Savo!ring love<s ret!rn to a 6od on"e known,
She thirsted for night when the heart may g!ess
At soft skies where it worshis and bows downH
$or night, imalable /irgin#3other, that bathes
All yo!thf!l emotion in its shadowy silen"esH
Thirsted for dee night where the heart, blood#stained,
8o!rs o!t witho!t "ries rebellion witho!t witnesses.
And laying the /i"tim and the little bride,
-er star saw her, a "andle between her fingers,
1es"end to the "o!rtyard where "lothes dried,
0hite se"tre raising the roofs< bla"k se"tres.
/7
She assed her holy night in the latrine,
To the "andle, from roof#holes, white air flowed,
And f!ll of !rlish bla"kness a wild vine,
Skirting the ne>t#door yard h!ng down below.
The skylight made a heart of living brightness,
7n the yard where the low sky, with its red#gold,
8lated the anesH "obbles, stinking with e>"ess
0et filth, s!lh!red the slee#dark wall#shadows.
5*
/77
0ho<ll seak of that lang!or, those !n"lean ities,
And what hatred will fall on her, + yo! filthy
9!nati"s, whose divine work still wars destinies,
0hen lerosy finally devo!rs that sweet bodyI
/777
And when, having swallowed all her hysterias,
She sees, in the melan"holy born of hainess,
-er lover dreaming of the white million 3arys
7n the dawn of the night of love, her distress4
B1o yo! know 7 killed yo!I Took yo!r mo!th,
:o!r heart, all that one has, all yo! ossessH
And 7, 7 am ill4 +h, 7 wish that 7 were drowned
0ith the 1ead, dren"hed by no"t!rnal watersE
7 was a "hild, and .hrist has soiled my breath.
$illed me with loathing, thro!gh and thro!ghE
:o! kissed my hair thi"k as a flee"e, and yes,
7 allowed itF.+h, there, it<s all fine for yo!,
3enE 0ho don<t see that the most loving woman
7s, behind "ons"ien"e f!ll of ignoble terror,
The most rostit!ted and the most saddened,
That o!r every im!lse towards :o! is errorE
$or my first .omm!nion is long ast.
7 have no ower ever to know yo!r kisses4
And my heart and flesh, yo!r flesh has "lased,
Seethe with the rotten kisses of ;es!sE<
58
7Q
Then, the desolate so!l, and the so!l that<s !trid,
'oth will feel the stream of yo!r maledi"tions.
A They<ll be at rest in yo!r inviolate -atred,
$reed, for death<s sake, from honest assions,
.hristE + .hrist, the eternal thief of vigo!r,
6od who, for two millennia, bowed to yo!r allor,
@ailed to the earth, in shame and mental horror,
+r overwhelmed, the brows of women of sorrow.
Dul% 1871
5(
#hat One Sas to the Poet on the Sub/ect of Flo0ers
CTo Monsieur Thodore de (an*illeD
7
Th!s, ever, towards the aG!re night
0here there ?!ivers a toaG sea,
0ill f!n"tion in yo!r evening light
The 9ilies, those "lysters of e"stasyE
7n o!r own age of sago, as they m!st,
Sin"e all the 8lants are workers first,
The 9ilies will drink a bl!e disg!st,
$rom yo!r religio!s 8rose, not verseE
A The 9ily of 3onsie!r de Kerdrel
The sonnet of eighteen thirty, the lant,
That 9ily, they bestow on BThe 3instrel<
0ith the "arnation and the amaranthE
9iliesE 9iliesE :o! see never a oneE
:et in yo!r /erses, like the Sinners<
Sleeves, those of soft#footed women,
Always those white flowers shiverE
Always, 1ear, when yo! take a bathe,
:o!r Shirt with yellow armits rots
Swells to the breeGe of rising day,
Above the soiled forget#me#notsE
9ove, only, thro!gh yo!r nets
Sm!ggles 9ilies A + !ne?!alE
And the 0oodland /iolets,
The dark @ymhs< s!gary sittleE...
77
&0
+ 8oets, if yo! "o!ld b!t own
To the red on the la!rel<s firm stem
To the Roses, the Roses, blown,
0ith a tho!sand o"taves swollenE
7f 'A@/799% "o!ld make them snow,
'lood#stained, whirling in gyrations,
'la"king the eye of that stranger so,
0ho sees wi"ked interretationsE
7n yo!r forests, by yo!r aths,
+ so la"id hotograhersE
9ike the stoers on "arafes,
The $lora<s more or less diverseE
Always the vegetables, $ren"h,
Abs!rd, "ons!mtive, ! for a fight,
'ellies of basset ho!nds they dren"h,
8ea"ef!lly assed in evening lightH
Always, after fearf!l drawings
+f bl!e 9ot!s or that S!nflower,
8ink rints, s!b=e"ts befitting
6irls in "omm!nion<s sweet ho!rE
The Asoka +de agrees with the
9oretto window stanGaH showers
+f bright b!tterflies, heavy, fl!tter,
1!nging on the daisy flowers.
+ld verd!res, old braided ribbonsE
+ vegetable bis"!it bakesE
$antasti" flowers of old SalonsE
A $or "o"k"hafers, not rattlesnakes,
&)
Those vegetable dolls in tears
6randville wo!ld have mislaid
7n the margin, s!"king "olo!rs
$rom sitef!l stars with eye#shadesE
:es, the drooling of yo!r fl!tes
8rod!"es re"io!s s!garE
A -eas of fried eggs in old boots,
9ily, 9ila", Rose, AsokaE...
777
+ white -!nter, r!nning thro!gh,
Sto"king#less, the 8ani" field,
Sho!ldn<t yo!, "o!ldn<t yo!
A"?!ire a little botanyI
:o!<d have s!""eed, 7<m afraid,
To r!sset .ri"kets, Sanish $ly,
Rio golds to Rhine bl!e, @orway
To $lorida, in the blink of an eye4
'!t, 1ear, art "annot, for !s,
A 7t<s tr!e A ermit, it<s wrong,
To the asto!nding %!"alyt!s,
'oa#.onstri"tors, he>ameter#longH
ThereFE As if 3ahogany
Served, even in o!r 6!iana,
+nly the .a!"hin monkey
To ride the mad weight of lianaE
A 7n short, a single $lower4 is it,
9ily or Rosemary, live or dead,
0orth a sot of sea#g!ll<s shit,
0orth a "andle dri, 7 saidI
&2
A And 7 mean what 7 say, mindE
%ven yo!, s?!atting there, in one
+f those bamboo#h!ts A blind
Sh!t, behind brown 8ersian "!rtain A
:o!<d s"rawl abo!t things floral
0orthy of some wild +ise deartmentE...
A 8oet, yet that<s a rationale
@o less la!ghable than it<s arrogantE
7/
Seak, not of amas in the sring,
'la"k with terrible rebellions,
'!t of toba""o, "otton growingE
Seak of e>oti" harvest seasonsE
Seak, white brow that 8hoeb!s tanned,
+f how many dollars 8edro
/elas?!eG of -avana earnedH
%n#shit the 'ay of Sorrento
0here in tho!sands rest the SwansH
9et yo!r stanGas !ndertake
The draining of the mangrove swams,
$illed with hydras, water#snakesE
:o!r ?!atrains l!nge in blood#wet groves
Ret!rn, bringing -!manity
1iverse offerings, s!gars, "loves,
9oGenges and r!bber#treesE
9et !s know if the yellowness
+f snowy 8eaks, near the Troi",
7s rolifi" inse"t<s nests
+r li"hens mi"ros"oi"E
&,
Seek, + -!nter, o!r wish what<s more,
1iverse fragrant madders,
That, for o!r Army, @at!re
3ight "a!se to bloom in tro!sersE
Seek, beside the sl!mbering 6lades,
$lowers that look like m!GGles, oh,
+!t of whi"h dri gold omades,
+n the dark hide of the b!ffaloE
Seek wild fields, where in the 'l!e
Trembles the silver of !bes"en"e,
.aly>es of fiery eggs that brew
Steeed in b!rning oily essen"eE
Seek the Thistle<s "otton#bin,
0hose downy wool ten asses
0ith ember eyes toil to sinE
Seek flowers whi"h are "hassisE
:es, seek at the heart of bla"k seams
@igh#on stone#like flowers A marvelsE A
That near their hard ale ovaries
'ear soft gemmifero!s tonsilsE
Serve !s, + .rammer, as yo! "an,
+n a fine vermilion latter
Stews of syr!y 9ilies, lan
To "orrode o!r 6erman silverE
/
3any will sing of 9ove s!blime,
The thief of sombre 7nd!lgen"e4
@ot Renan, nor 3!rr the "at, 7<m
S!re, know Thyrsi, bl!e, immenseE
&2
:o!<ll ?!i"ken, in o!r torors,
-ysterias, thro!gh yo!r fragran"esH
%>alt !s towards "ando!rs
8!rer than 3arys< whitenessesF
.olonistE TraderE 3edi!mE
:o!r Rhyme, ink, white, will be
A welling ray of sodi!m,
A well#taed driing r!bber#treeE
$rom yo!r dark 8oems A ;!gglerE
9et diotri" white, green, red,
'!rst o!t like strange flowers,
%le"tri" b!tterflies insteadE
SeeE 7t<s the .ent!ry of hellE
Telegrah oles will hono!r
A A lyre, where steel songs swell,
:o!r magnifi"ent sho!lderE
Rhyme !s above all a version
+n the ills of otato blightE
A And to aid the "omosition
+f 8oems of mysterio!s light
To be read from TrNg!ier
To 8aramaribo, don<t forget
To b!y Tomes by 3onsie!r $ig!ier,
A 7ll!strated A from 3onsie!r -a"hetteE
lcide (a*a
3)3
1Eth Dul% 1871
&5
The Seekers of )ice
CLes $hercheuses de PouFD
0hen the "hild<s brow, tormented by red,
7mlores the white "rowd of half#seen dreams,
Two "harming sisters "ome "lose to his bed
Slender#fingered, with silver nails it seems.
They sit the "hild down in front of the window,
0ide oen to where bl!e air bathes tangled flowers,
And thro!gh his thi"k hair f!ll of dewfall,
3ove their fine fingers, fearf!l, magi"al.
-e hears the sighing of their "a!tio!s breath
That flows with long roseate vegetal honeys,
And is interr!ted sometimes by a hiss,
Saliva "a!ght on the lis or desire to kiss.
-e hears their dark lashes beating in erf!med
Silen"e4 and their fingers, ele"trified and sweet
Amidst his grey indolen"e, make the deaths
+f little li"e "ra"kle beneath their royal treat.
7t<s now the wine of Sloth in him rises, the sigh
+f a "hild<s harmoni"a that "an bring deleri!m4
8romted by slow "aresses, the "hild feels then
An endlessly s!rging and dying desire to "ry.

&&
The $runken Boat
CLe (ateau :*reD
As 7 floated down imassive Rivers,
7 felt myself no longer !lled by roes4
The Redskins took my ha!liers for targets,
And nailed them naked to their ainted osts.
.arrying $lemish wheat or %nglish "otton,
7 was indifferent to all my "rews.
The Rivers let me float down as 7 wished,
0hen the vi"tims and the so!nds were thro!gh.
7nto the f!rio!s breakers of the sea,
1eafer than the ears of a "hild, last winter,
7 ranE And the 8enins!las sliding by me
@ever heard a more tri!mhant "lamo!r.
The temest blessed my sea#borne aro!sals.
9ighter than a "ork 7 dan"ed those waves
They "all the eternal "h!rners of vi"tims,
Ten nights, witho!t regret for the lighted baysE
Sweeter than so!r ales to the "hildren
The green ooGe s!rting thro!gh my h!ll<s ine,
0ashed me of vomit and the bl!e of wine,
.arried away my r!dder and my an"hor.
Then 7 bathed in the 8oem of the Sea,
7nf!sed with stars, the milk#white s!me blends,
6raGing green aG!res4 where ravished, blea"hed
$lotsam, a drowned man in dream des"ends.
&*
0here, staining the bl!e, s!dden deliri!ms
And slow tremors !nder the gleams of fire,
Stronger than al"ohol, vaster than o!r rhythms,
$erment the bitter reds of o!r desireE
7 knew the skies slit aart by lightning,
0aterso!ts, breakers, tides4 7 knew the night,
The 1awn e>alted like a "rowd of doves,
7 saw what men think they<ve seen in the lightE
7 saw the low s!n, stained with mysti" terrors,
7ll!minate long violet "oag!lations,
9ike a"tors in a lay, a lay that<s an"ient,
0aves rolling ba"k their trembling of sh!ttersE
7 dreamt the green night of blinded snows,
A kiss lifted slow to the eyes of seas,
The "ir"!lation of !nheard#of flows,
S!ng hoshor!s<s bl!e#yellow awakeningsE
$or months on end, 7<ve followed the swell
That batters at the reefs like terrified "attle,
@ot dreaming the Three 3arys< shining feet
.o!ld m!GGle with their for"e the +"ean<s hellE
7<ve str!"k $loridas, yo! know, beyond belief,
0here eyes of anthers in h!man skins,
3erge with the flowersE Rainbow bridles, beneath
the seas< horiGon, stret"hed o!t to shadowy finsE
7<ve seen the great swams boil, and the hiss
0here a whole whale rots among the reedsE
1ownfalls of water among tran?!ilities,
1istan"es showering into the abyss.
&8
@a"ro!s waves, silver s!ns, gla"iers, ember skiesE
6a!nt wre"ks dee in the brown va"!ities
0here the giant eels riddled with arasites
$all, with dark erf!mes, from the twisted treesE
7 wo!ld have liked to show "hildren dolhins
+f the bl!e wave, the golden singing fish.
A $lowering foams ro"ked me in my drift,
At times !n!tterable winds gave me wings.
Sometimes, a martyr tired of oles and Gones,
The sea whose sobs made my roilings sweet
Showed me its shadow flowers with yellow mo!ths
And 7 rested like a woman on her kneesF
Almost an isle, blowing a"ross my sands, ?!arrels
And droings of ale#eyed "lamoro!s g!lls,
And 7 s"!dded on while, over my frayed lines,
1rowned men sank ba"k in slee beneath my h!llEF
@ow 7, a boat lost in the hair of bays,
-!rled by the h!rri"ane thro!gh bird#less ether,
7, whose "ar"ass, sodden with salt#sea water,
@o 3onitor or -anseati" vessel "o!ld re"over4
$reed, in smoke, risen from the violet fog,
7, who ier"ed the red skies like a wall,
'earing the sweets that delight tr!e oets,
9i"hens of s!nlight, gobbets of aG!re4
0ho ran, stained with ele"tri" moonlets,
A "raGed lank, "omanied by bla"k sea#horses,
0hen ;!lys were "r!shing with "!dgel blows
Skies of !ltramarine in b!rning f!nnels4
&(
7, who trembled to hear those agonies
+f r!tting 'ehemoths and dark 3aelstroms,
%ternal sinner of bl!e immobilities,
7 regret the an"ient araets of %!roeE
7<ve seen ar"hielagos of starsE And isles
0hose maddened skies oen for the sailor4
A 7s it in deths of night yo! slee, e>iled,
3illion birds of gold, + f!t!re /igo!rI A
'!t, tr!ly, 7<ve wet too m!"hE The 1awns
Are heartbreaking, ea"h moon hell, ea"h s!n bitter4
$ier"e love has swallowed me in dr!nken torors.
+ let my keel breakE Tides draw me downE
7f 7 want one ool in %!roe, it<s the "old
'la"k ond where into the s"ented night
A "hild s?!atting filled with sadness la!n"hes
A boat as frail as a 3ay b!tterfly.
'athed in yo!r lang!or, waves, 7 "an no longer
.!t a"ross the wakes of "otton shis,
+r sail against the ride of flags, ensigns,
+r swim the dreadf!l gaGe of rison shis.
*0
!o0els
C.o%ellesD
A bla"k, % white, 7 red, L green, + bl!e4 vowels
Someday 7<ll talk abo!t yo!r se"ret birth#"ries,
A, bla"k velvet =a"ket of brilliant flies
That b!GG aro!nd the sten"hes of the "r!el,
6!lfs of shadow4 %, "ando!r of mists, of tents,
9an"es of ro!d gla"iers, white kings, shivers of arsley4
7, !rles, bloody salivas, smiles of the lonely
0ith lis of anger or dr!nk with eniten"e4
L, waves, divine sh!dders of viridian seas,
8ea"e of ast!res, "attle#filled, ea"e of f!rrows
$ormed on broad st!dio!s brows by al"hemy4
+, s!reme .larion, f!ll of strange striden"ies,
Silen"es "rossed by worlds and by Angels4
+, the +mega, violet ray of her %yesE
*)
The Rooks
CLes $orbeauFD
9ord, when the fields are "old,
0hen, in the ab=e"t hamlets,
The long angel!s is silentF
+n nat!re, deflowered, old,
$alling from the oen sky
9et the lovely rooks swee by.
Strange army with yo!r stern "alls,
.old winds atta"k yo!r nestsE
:o!, along the yellowed river#edge,
+ver the roads< with old "rosses, fall,
+ver the wayside dit"hes, and the alleys,
1iserse yo!rselves, then rallyE
7n tho!sands, over the fields of $ran"e,
0here slee the dead of yesteryear,
0heel, then, in the wintry air,
So ea"h traveller, at a glan"e
RemembersE 'e the "all to d!ty,
+ o!r bla"k f!nereal bea!tyE
'!t, saints of heaven, at the oak<s to,
3ast lost in the "harm of fading day,
9eave the little warblers of 3ay
$or those imrisoned in the "ose,
7n deths from whi"h one "annot flee,
0ho defeat, witho!t a f!t!re, see.
*2
%emor
C/ernier .ers; MmoireD
7
.lear water4 stinging like the "hild<s salt tears,
0hiteness of women<s bodies atta"king the s!n4
Silk, en masse and !re lily, &riflammes
Lnder walls a 3aid defended witho!t fear4
1an"ing of angels4 A @oFthe gold "!rrent slid
3oving its dark arms, tired, "ool above all, and green.
She, sombre, having the bl!e -eavens for "anoy,
S!mmoned, as "!rtains, the ar"h and the hill<s shade.
77
Ah the moist s!rfa"e holds s!"h limid b!bblesE
0ater of ale dee gold "overs the made beds4
9ittle girls< green and faded dresses
0ere willows, from whi"h the bridle#less birds fled.
8!rer than gold, a yellow eyelid and warm,
3arsh marigold A yo!r married faith, + 'rideE A
At stroke of noon, from its d!ll mirror, =ealo!s
+f the dear rose#"olo!red Shere4 grey heat in the sky.
*,
777
3adame stands too stiffly in the nearby field,
0here the threads of toil snow down4 the arasol
7n her fingers4 "r!shing "ow#arsley4 it<s too ro!d4
The "hildren are reading on the flowery green4
A red moro""o bookE Alas, the man, -e, like
A tho!sand white angels arting on the road,
/anishes behind the mo!ntainE She, ?!ite "old,
And bla"k, r!ns onE $ollowing the man<s flightE
7/
Regret for the firm yo!ng arms of !re grassE
6old of Aril moons in the heart of the sa"red bedE
;oy of the riverside boat#yards, abandoned to fate,
To the A!g!st evenings that made rot germinateE
-ow she wees at resent !nder the ramartE
The breath of the olars ! high<s the only breeGe.
Then the !nrefle"ting s!rfa"e, witho!t so!r"e, grey4
An old man, dredging, toils in his motionless barge.
/
Toy of this eye of sad water, 7 "annot rea"h,
+ motionless boatE + arms too shortE @ot one
+r the other flower4 not the yellow that begs me4
@or the bl!e, the friend in the water, its "olo!r ashen.
AhE The willow ollen a wing tro!blesE
The rose of the reeds long sin"e eaten !E
3y boat, st!"k fast4 and its dee an"hor b!ried
7n this bo!ndless eye of water A in what m!dI
*2
Teardrop
CLarmeD
). C$rom4 /ernier .ers 187"D
$ar from the village girls, "attle, birds,
7 drank, kneeling down in the heather
S!rro!nded by tender "oses of haGel,
7n the green warm mist of afternoon.
0hat "o!ld 7 have dr!nk from that yo!ng +ise,
%lms witho!t voi"es, t!rf witho!t flowers,
Sh!t skyI +r si from the go!rd of the vineI
Some li?!or of gold that "a!ses ale sweats.
9ike that 7<d have made a oor inn#sign.
Then storms altered the sky till evening.
'la"k lands"aes, oles, lakes, "olonnades
!nder the bl!eness of night, rail#stations.
0ood<s water was lost in virgin sand.
The wind, o!t of heaven, i"ed the ondsF
'!t, like fishers for gold or shells, to think
That 7 didn<t take the tro!ble to drinkE
*5
2. C$rom4 Gne Saison en Hnfer 187+D
$ar from the village girls, "attle, birds,
+n my knees, what was 7 drinking there,
S!rro!nded by tender "oses of haGel,
7n the green warm mist of afternoonI
0hat "o!ld 7 have dr!nk from that yo!ng +ise #
%lms witho!t voi"es, t!rf witho!t flowers,
sh!t sky # from these yellow go!rds, far from my
dear h!tI Some gold li?!or that "a!ses sweats.
7 made a d!bio!s inn#sign. # A storm
.ame to h!nt the sky. At evening
0ood<s water was lost in virgin sand.
The wind, of 6od, i"ed the onds4
0eeing, 7 saw gold A and "o!ld not drinkE
*&
The Song of the Highest To0er
C$hanson de la Plus Baute TourD
). C$rom4 Fetes de la PatienceD
7dle :o!th
'y all things enslaved
Thro!gh sensitivity
7<ve wasted my days.
AhE 9et the moment "ome
0hen hearts love as one.
7 told myself4 wait
And let no one see4
And witho!t the romise
+f tr!e e"stasy.
9et nothing delay
This hiding away.
7<ve been atient so long
7<ve forgotten even
The terror and s!ffering
$lown ! to heaven,
A si"k thirst again
1arkens my veins.
So the meadow
$reed by negle"t,
$lowered, overgrown
0ith weeds and in"ense,
To the b!GGing nearby
+f a h!ndred fo!l flies.
**
AhE Tho!sand widowhoods
+f a so!l so oor
7t bears only the image
+f o!r 9ady beforeE
1oes one then ray
To the /irgin todayI
7dle :o!th
'y all things enslaved
Thro!gh sensitivity
7<ve wasted my days.
AhE 9et the moment "ome
0hen hearts love as one.
*8
2. C$rom4 Gne Saison en HnferD
9et it "ome, let it "ome
The day when hearts love as one.
7<ve been atient so long
7<ve forgotten even
The terror and s!ffering
$lown ! to heaven,
A si"k thirst again
1arkens my veins.
9et it "ome, let it "ome
The day when hearts love as one.
So the meadow
$reed by negle"t,
$lowered, overgrown
0ith weeds and in"ense,
To the b!GG nearby
+f fo!l flies.
9et it "ome, let it "ome
The day when hearts love as one.
*(
Eternit
CL5=ternitD
). C$rom4 Fetes de la PatienceD
7t<s fo!nd we see.
0hatI A %ternity.
7t<s the s!n, free
To flow with the sea.
So!l on wat"h
9et whisers "onfess
+f the emty night
+f the day<s e>"ess.
$rom the mortal weal
$rom the "ommon !rge
-ere yo! diverge
To fly as yo! feel.
Sin"e from yo! alone,
%mbers of satin,
1!ty breathes down
0ith no Bat last< soken.
There<s nothing of hoe,
@o entreaty here.
S"ien"e and atien"e,
Tort!re is real.
7t<s fo!nd we see.
0hatI A %ternity.
7t<s the s!n, free
To flow with the sea.
80
2. C$rom4 Gne Saison en HnferD
7t<s fo!nd we seeE
0hatI A %ternity.
7t<s the s!n, mingled
0ith the sea.
3y immortal so!l
Kee yo!r vow
1esite emty night
And the day<s glow.
So yo!<ll diverge
$rom the mortal weal
$rom the "ommon !rge,
And fly as yo! feelF
A @o hoe, never,
@o entreaty here.
S"ien"e and atien"e,
Tort!re is real.
@o more tomorrow,
%mbers of satin,
:o!r own ardo!r
The only d!ty.
7t<s fo!nd we see.
A 0hatI A %ternity.
7t<s the s!n, mingled
0ith the sea.
8)
O Seasons+ O Chateau1
CI saisons, I chJteauFD
). C$rom4 Fetes de la PatienceD
+ seasons, + "hatea!>,
0here is the flawless so!lI
+ seasons, + "hatea!>,
The magi" st!dy 7 !rs!ed,
+f hainess, none "an el!de.
+ may it live, ea"h time
The 6alli" "o"k makes rhyme.
@othing else 7 desire,
7t<s ossessed my life entire.
That "harmE 7t<s taken heart and so!l
S"attered all my effort so.
0here<s the sense in what 7 sayI
7t makes the whole thing fly awayE
+ seasons, + "hatea!>E
82
O Seasons+ O Chateau1
CI saisons, I chJteauFD
2. C$rom4 Gne Saison en HnferD
+ seasons, + "hatea!>E
0here is the flawless so!lI
The magi" st!dy 7 !rs!ed,
+f hainess, none "an el!de.
A health to it, ea"h time
The 6alli" "o"k makes rhyme.
AhE There<s nothing 7 desire,
7t<s ossessed my life entire.
That "harm has taken heart and so!l
S"attered all my efforts so.
+ seasons, + "hatea!>E
The ho!r of its flight, alasE
0ill be the ho!r 7 ass.
+ seasons, + "hatea!>E
8,
The (lluminations
"fter the Flood
C:lluminations :; 'rs le /lugeD
As soon as the idea of the $lood was finished, a hare halted in the
"lover and the trembling flower bells, and said its rayer to the
rainbow thro!gh the sider<s web.
+hE The re"io!s stones that hid, A the flowers that gaGed
aro!nd them.
7n the soiled main street stalls were set, they ha!led the boats
down to the sea rising in layers as in the old rints.
'lood flowed, at 'l!e#beard<s ho!se A in the abattoirs in the
"ir"!ses where 6od<s romise whitened the windows. 'lood and
milk flowed.
The beavers b!ilt. The "offee "!s steamed in the bars.
7n the big greenho!se that was still streaming, the "hildren in
mo!rning looked at the marvello!s i"t!res.
A door banged, and, on the village#green, the "hild waved his
arms, !nderstood by the "o"ks and weathervanes of bell#towers
everywhere, !nder the b!rsting shower.
3adame RRR installed a iano in the Als. The 3ass and first
"omm!nions were "elebrated at the h!ndred tho!sand altars of the
"athedral.
.aravans dearted. And the -otel Slendide was b!ilt in the
"haos of i"e and olar night.
Sin"e then, the 3oon<s heard =a"kals howling among the
deserts of thyme A and astoral oems in wooden shoes gr!mbling
in the or"hard. Then, in the b!rgeoning violet forest, %!"haris told
me it was sring.
82
Rise, ond4 A $oam, roll over the bridge and !nder the trees4 A
bla"k draes and organs A th!nder and lightning rise and roll4 A
0aters and sadness rise and raise the $loods again.
'e"a!se sin"e they abated A oh, the re"io!s stones b!rying
themselves and the oened flowersE A 7t<s wearisomeE And the
P!een, the Sor"eress who lights her fire in the ot of earth, will
never tell !s what she knows, and what we are ignorant of.
85
Childhood
C:lluminations ::; HnfanceD
7
That idol witho!t an"estors or "o!rt, bla"k#eyed and yellow#
haired, nobler than legend, 3e>i"an and $lemish4 his land insolent
aG!re and green, skirts bea"hes named by the waves, free of
vessels, with names fero"io!sly 6reek, Slav, .elti".
At the edge of the forest A flowers of dream "himeH b!rst, flare
A the girl with orange lis, knees "rossed in the "lear flood that
rises from the meadows, n!dity shadowed, traversed and "lothed
by rainbowsH flowers, the sea.
9adies who stroll on terra"es by the sea4 many a girl#"hild and
giantess, s!erb bla"ks in the verdigris moss, =ewels arrayed on
the ri"h soil of groves and the little thawed#o!t gardens A yo!ng
mothers and elder sisters with looks f!ll of ilgrimage, S!ltanas,
rin"esses with tyranni"al "ost!mes, little foreign girls and gently
!nhay eole.
0hat tedi!m, the ho!r of the Bbeloved body< and Bdear heart<E
8&
77
7t<s she, the little dead girl, behind the roses. A The yo!ng mother,
de"eased, des"ends the stes. A The "o!sin<s "arriage s?!eaks over
the sand. A The little brother A Che<s in 7ndiaED there, in front of the
s!nset, in the meadow of "arnations. The old ones b!ried !right
in the ramarts overgrown with wallflowers.
The swarm of golden leaves s!rro!nds the 6eneral<s ho!se.
They are in the so!th. A :o! follow the red road to rea"h the
emty inn. The "hatea!<s for sale4 the sh!tters are loose. A The
riest will have "arried off the key to the "h!r"h. A Aro!nd the
ark the keeers< "ottages are !ntenanted. The fen"es are so high
yo! "an see nothing b!t r!stling treetos. 'esides, there<s nothing
there to be seen.
The meadows rise to hamlets witho!t "o"kerels, witho!t
anvils. The sl!i"e gate is raised. + the "rosses and windmills of
the wild, the isles and the sta"ks.
3agi" flowers b!GGed. The sloes "radled him. .reat!res of
fab!lo!s elegan"e "ir"led ro!nd. .lo!ds gathered over the oen
sea made of an eternity of warm tears.
8*
777
There<s a bird in the woods, its song makes yo! sto and bl!sh.
There<s a "lo"k that never "himes.
There<s a hollow with a nest of white "reat!res.
There<s a "athedral that des"ends, and a lake that rises.
There<s a little "arriage abandoned in the "ose, or r!nning
down the lane, beribboned.
There<s a tro!e of little layers in "ost!me, glimsed on the
road thro!gh the edge of the woods.
There<s someone, at last, when yo!<re h!ngry and thirsty, who
drives yo! away.
7/
7<m the saint, raying on the terra"e A as the ea"ef!l beasts graGe
down to the sea of 8alestine.
7<m the s"holar in the dark arm"hair. 'ran"hes and rain fling
themselves at the library "asement.
7<m the traveller on the high road thro!gh the st!nted
woods4 the roar of the sl!i"es drowns o!t my stes. 7 wat"h for
ho!rs the melan"holy golden wash of the s!nset.
7 might well be the "hild left on the =etty washed to the oen
sea, the little farm#boy following the lane whose "rest to!"hes the
sky.
The aths are ro!gh. The little hills are "overed with broom.
The air is motionless. -ow far away the birds and the fo!ntains
areE That "an only be the world<s end ahead.
88
/
9et them rent me this tomb at the last, whitewashed, with the lines
of "ement in relief A very dee !ndergro!nd.
7 lean on the table, the lam lights brightly those magaGines
7<m a fool to re#read, those books witho!t interest.
At a vast distan"e above my s!bterranean room ho!ses root,
fogs gather. The m!d is red or bla"k. 3onstro!s "ity, night witho!t
endE
9ower down there are sewers. At the sides only the
thi"kness of the globe. 8erhas g!lfs of aG!re, wells of fire
8erhas on these levels moons and "omets, seas and fables meet.
7n ho!rs of bitterness 7 imagine balls of sahire, of metal. 7
am master of silen"e. 0hy sho!ld a semblan"e of skylight ale in
the "orner of the va!ltI
8(
Tale
C:lluminations :::; $onteD
A 8rin"e was ve>ed at only ever having given himself to the
erfe"tion of ordinary generosities. -e foresaw astonishing
revol!tions of love, and s!se"ted his wives of "aa"ity for more
than that "omlaisan"e enhan"ed by l!>!ry and sky. -e wished to
view the tr!th, the ho!r of desire and essential gratifi"ation.
0hether it was an aberration of iety or not he wished it. -e
ossessed ?!ite eno!gh earthly ower at least.
%very woman who had known him was assassinated. 0hat
havo" in the garden of bea!tyE 'eneath the blade, they blessed
him. -e demanded no fresh ones. A The women reaeared.
-e killed all who followed him, after the h!nt or the drinking
bo!t. A All followed him.
-e am!sed himself "!tting the throats of rare "reat!res. -e set
fire to ala"es. -e r!shed on eole and slashed them to ie"es. A
The masses, the golden roofs, the bea!tif!l beasts still e>isted.
.an one find e"stasy in destr!"tion, re=!venate oneself thro!gh
"r!eltyI The eole gave not a m!rm!r. @o one offered to s!ort
his views.
(0
+ne evening he was galloing ro!dly. A 6enie aeared, of
ineffable even shamef!l bea!ty. $rom his fa"e and bearing iss!ed
the romise of a m!ltile "omle> love, an !nseakable even
!nend!rable hainessE The 8rin"e and the 6enie annihilated ea"h
other robably thro!gh innate ower. -ow "o!ld they have heled
dying of itI So, as one, they died.
:et the 8rin"e assed away in his ala"e, at the "!stomary age.
The 8rin"e was the 6enie. The 6enie was the 8rin"e.
The s!btlest m!si" falls short of o!r desire.
()
Parade
C:lluminations :.; ParadeD
St!rdy eno!gh =esters. Several have e>loited yo!r worlds. 1evoid
of need, in no h!rry to make lay of their brilliant fa"!lties or their
knowledge of yo!r "ons"ien"e. -ow rie they areE %yes daGed like
the s!mmer night, red and bla"k, tri"olo!rs, steel ri"ked with
golden starsH feat!res deformed, leaden, allid, on fireH hoarse#
throated froli"kersE A "r!el swagger of faded fineryE A Some are
yo!ng A how do they view .her!binoI A endowed with
frightening voi"es and dangero!s reso!r"es. They<re sent o!t
soli"iting in "ity streets, de"ked o!t in disg!sting l!>!ry.
+h the most violent 8aradise of a maddened grima"eE 0ay
beyond yo!r $akirs and other theatri"al b!ffooneries. 7n
imrovised "ost!mes of nightmarish taste they lay roman"es,
tragedies of bandits and demigods, sirit!al as the tales and
religions never were. .hinese, -ottentots, bohemians, fools,
hyenas, 3olo"hs, old madnesses, sinister demons, mingling
o!lar homely t!rns with bestial oses and "aresses. They<re
ready for new ie"es and Bsweet< little songs. 3aster =!gglers, they
transform eole and la"es and reveal magneti" stage"raft. %yes
inflamed, blood sings, bones thi"ken, tears and tri"kles of ro!ge
stream down. Their raillery and their terror lasts a moment, or
months entire.
7 alone hold the key to this savage arade.
(2
"nti2ue
C:lluminations .; ntiKueD
6ra"ef!l son of 8anE Ro!nd yo!r brow "rowned with flowers and
berries yo!r eyes, re"io!s sheres, move. Stained with brown
lees, yo!r "heeks are hollow. :o!r eye#teeth gleam. :o!r breast is
a "ithara, "hords "hime in yo!r ale arms. :o!r !lse beats in that
belly where a do!ble se> slees. 0alk, at night, gently moving
that thigh, that other thigh and that left leg.
(,
Being Beauteous
C:lluminations .:; (eing (eauteousD
Against the snowfall, a tall 'eing of 'ea!ty. 0histling of death
and the "ir"ling of faint m!si" make this adored body rise, e>and
and ?!iver like a se"treH wo!nds of s"arlet and bla"k b!rst from
s!erb flesh. The "olo!rs roer to life deeen, dan"e and deta"h
themselves aro!nd this /ision in the making. Sh!dders rise and
groan and the freneti" flavo!r of these effe"ts fills with that mortal
whistling and ra!"o!s m!si" that the world, far behind, h!rls at
o!r mother of bea!ty A she re"oils, she rears. +h, o!r bones are
"lothed with a new amoro!s bodyE +h, the ashen fa"eH the
es"!t"heon of horsehair, the "rystal armsE The "annon 7 m!st
assa!lt thro!gh the melee of trees and the weightless airE
(2
!ies
C:lluminations .::; Li*esD
7
+h the enormo!s aven!es of the holy land, the terra"es of the
temleE 0hat has be"ome of the 'rahmin who e>lained the
8roverbs to meI 7 "an even see the old women still, of that time
and la"eE 7 remember ho!rs of silver and light by the rivers, my
"omanion<s hand on my sho!lder, o!r "aresses as we stood on the
si"e#filled lains. A A flo"k of s"arlet igeons th!nders ro!nd my
tho!ghts. A %>iled here, 7 had a la"e to stage the theatri"al
masterie"es of every literat!re. 7 "o!ld show yo! !nknown
ri"hes. 7 mark the history of treas!res yo! dis"overed. 7 see what
followsE 3y wisdom is as desised as the "haos. 0hat is my
nothingness, "omared with the st!or that awaits yo!I
(5
77
7 am an inventor more worthy than all who re"ede meH a
m!si"ian, even, who has fo!nd something like the key of love. At
resent, a gentleman of a harsh "o!ntry !nder a sober sky, 7 try to
be moved by the memory of my beggarly "hildhood, of my
arenti"eshi and arrival in "logs, my olemi"s, my five or si>
widowhoods, and a few binges when my strong head revented
me rising to my "omrades< diaason. 7 "an<t regret my old art in
divine gaiety4 the sober air of this harsh "o!ntry feeds the deths
of my atro"io!s s"eti"ism. '!t sin"e this s"eti"ism "an never
now be !t to !se, and anyway 7<m dedi"ated to fresh an>iety A 7
e>e"t to be"ome an e>tremely sitef!l madman.
777
7n an atti" where 7 was imrisoned when 7 was twelve, 7 knew the
world, 7 ill!strated the h!man "omedy. 7n a "ellar 7 learnt history.
At some no"t!rnal feast in a @orthern "ity 7 en"o!ntered all the
women of the old masters. 7n an an"ient alley in 8aris, 7 was
ta!ght the "lassi"al s"ien"es. 7n a magnifi"ent la"e s!rro!nded by
all the +rient 7 "omleted my immense work and sent my
ill!strio!s retirement. 7 stirred my blood. 3y d!ty has "eased.
There<s no need to think of it even. 7 really am from beyond the
grave, and free of d!ties.
(&
$eparture
C:lluminations .:::; /'artD
%no!gh seen. The vision was en"o!ntered !nder all skies.
%no!gh had. So!nds of "ities, evening, and in the light, and
always.
%no!gh known. The de"isions of life. A + So!nds and /isionsE
1eart!re into new affe"tion and noiseE
(*
Roalt
C:lluminations :L; )o%autD
+ne fine day, among a very gentle eole, a s!erb man and
woman "ried o!t in the !bli" s?!are4 B$riends, 7 want her to be
?!eenE< B7 want to be ?!eenE< She la!ghed and trembled. -e talked
to his friends of revelation, of trials !ndergone. They swooned
against ea"h other.
7ndeed, they were kings the whole morning, while "armine
hangings festooned the ho!ses, and all afternoon, as they
advan"ed towards the gardens of alm#trees.
(8
To Reason
C:lluminations L; M Gne )aisonD
A ta of yo!r finger on the dr!m looses all so!nds and begins the
fresh harmony.
+ne ste of yo!rs is the rising of new men and their forward
mar"h.
:o!r fa"e t!rns away4 new loveE :o!r fa"e t!rns ba"k A the
new loveE
B.hange o!r fate, eliminate the lag!es, beginning with Time<
these "hildren sing to yo!. B'reed, no matter where, the s!bstan"e
of o!r fort!nes and wishes,< they beg.
Arrival from forever, yo! who<ll deart everywhere.
((
$runken %orning
C:lluminations L:; Matine d5:*resseD
+ m% 6oodE + my (eaut%E Atro"io!s fanfare in whi"h 7 never
falterE %n"hanted easelE -!rrah for the !nknown work and for the
marvello!s body, for the first timeE 7t began in the la!ghter of
"hildren, it will finish so. This oison will linger in all o!r veins
even when, the fanfare ret!rning, we are delivered again to the old
disharmony. +h, we now so worthy of s!"h tort!res, let !s
fervently gras this s!erh!man romise made to o!r "reated
bodies and so!ls4 this romise, this madnessE %legan"e, s"ien"e,
violen"eE They<ve romised the tree of good and evil will be
b!ried in darkness, the tyranni"al virt!es will be deorted, so we
"an bring here o!r love so !re. 7t began with "ertain disg!sts and
it ends A we being !nable to seiGe this eternity all at on"e A it ends
with a riot of erf!mes.
9a!ghter of "hildren, dis"retion of slaves, a!sterity of virgins,
horror of the fa"es and ob=e"ts here, hallowed be yo! by the
memory of this vigil. 7t began with all boorishness, behold, it ends
with angels of fire and i"e.
9ittle dr!nken holy vigilE 7f only on a""o!nt of the mask
yo!<ve granted !s. 0e endorse yo!, methodE 0e<ve not forgotten
that yesterday yo! glorified every "ent!ry of o!rs. 0e have faith
in oison. 0e know how to give o!r whole life every day.
This is the age of ASSASS7@S.
)00
Sentences
C:lluminations L::; PhrasesD
0hen the world has red!"ed to a single dark wood for o!r fo!r
astonished eyes A to a bea"h for two loyal "hildren A to a m!si"al
ho!se for o!r "lear symathy A 7 will find yo!.
9et there be a single old man here below, "alm and fine,
s!rro!nded by B!nknown l!>!ry< A and 7 shall kneel at yo!r feet.
9et me have realised all yo!r memories A let me be she who
"an gag yo! A 7<ll stifle yo!.
R
0hen we are strong eno!gh A who retreatsI ;oyf!l eno!gh A who
falls to ridi"!leI 0hen we are most sitef!l A what might they
make of !sI
Adorn yo!rselfH dan"e, la!gh. A 7<ll never be able to throw
9ove o!t the window.
R
'eggar girl, monstro!s "hild, my "omradeE -ow little yo! "are
abo!t these wret"hed women, these manoe!vrings, and my
roblems. Tie yo!rself to !s with yo!r imossible voi"e, that
voi"eE The only hoe of this vile desair.
)0)
R
An over"ast ;!ly morning. A taste of ashes floats in the air A the
odo!r of wood sweats on the hearth A soaked flowers A a havo" of
romenades A mist from the "anals in the fields A why not toys
then and in"enseI
R
7 have stret"hed roes from bell#tower to bell#towerH garlands
from window to windowH "hains of gold from star to star, and 7
dan"e.
R
The ond ! there steams "ontin!ally. 0hat sor"eress will rise
against the white s!nsetI 0hat violet foliage will fallI
R
0hile !bli" f!nds are o!red o!t in fraternal feasts, a bell of
rose#"olo!red fire tolls in the "lo!ds.
R
1eeening a leasant flavo!r of .hinese ink, a bla"k owder falls
gently on my vigil. A 7 lower the gas =ets, 7 throw myself on my
bed and, t!rning towards the shadows, 7 see yo! my da!ghters, my
?!eensE
)02
#orkers
C:lluminations L:::; &u*riersD
+h that warm $ebr!ary morningE An !ntimely So!therly "ame to
wake o!r abs!rd indigent memories, o!r yo!thf!l wret"hedness.
-enrika wore a "otton skirt in brown and white "he"k,
fashionable no do!bt last "ent!ryH a bonnet with ribbons, a silk
s"arf. 7t was m!"h sadder than mo!rning. 0e were taking a stroll
in the s!b!rbs. The weather was over"ast, and that So!therly wind
stirred all the vile odo!rs from ravaged gardens and ar"hed
meadows.
7t "o!ldn<t have bored my wife as m!"h as me. 7n a sheet of
water left by last month<s floods on a ath ! there, she ointed
o!t some tiny fish to me.
The town, with its noise and smoke from fa"tories, followed
!s a long way down the roads. +h, other world, dwelling#la"e
blessed by the sky and the shadowsE The So!therly wind reminded
me of wret"hed "hildhood events, my s!mmer desair, the terrible
?!antity of strength and knowledge that fate has always ket far
from me. @oE 0e<ll not send the s!mmer in this miserly "o!ntry
where we shall never be anything b!t betrothed orhans. 7<d not
want this hardened arm to drag along a dear image any longer.
)0,
The Bridges
C:lluminations L:.; Les PontsD
6rey skies of "rystal. A biGarre design of bridges, now straight,
now "!rved, and others des"ending in obli?!e angles to meet the
former, and these atterns reeating themselves in other well#lit
windings of "anal, b!t all so long and weightless that the shores,
weighted with domes, sink and "ontra"t. Some of these bridges are
still "overed with hovels. +thers bear masts, signals, frail araets.
3inor "hords interla"e, and fadeH roes rise from the banks. :o!
disting!ish a red "oat, other "lothes erhas and m!si"al
instr!ments. Are those o!lar airs, snat"hes from noble "on"erts,
the remains of !bli" anthemsI The water is grey and bl!e, wide
as an arm of the sea.
A white ray, falling from on high, annihilates this "omedy.
)02
Cit
C:lluminations L.; .illeD
7<m an ehemeral and not too dis"ontented "itiGen of a metroolis
tho!ght to be modern be"a!se all known taste has been avoided in
the f!rnishing and e>terior of ho!ses as well as the "ity lan. -ere
yo! "annot oint o!t a tra"e of a single mon!ment to s!erstition.
3orals and lang!age are red!"ed to their simlest e>ression, in
shortE These millions not needing to know ea"h other !rs!e their
ed!"ation, work, and old age so identi"ally that the "o!rse of their
lives m!st be several times shorter than abs!rd statisti"s allow this
"ontinent<s eole. So, from my window, 7 see fresh se"tres
roaming thro!gh thi"k eternal f!mes A o!r woodland shade, o!r
s!mmer nightE A @ew $!ries, before my "ottage whi"h is my
homeland, my whole heart, sin"e all here resembles this A 1eath
witho!t tears, o!r a"tive da!ghter and servant, deserate 9ove and
retty .rime whimering in the m!d of the street.
)05
Ruts
C:lluminations L.:; &rniresD
+n the right the s!mmer dawn wakes the leaves and mists and the
so!nds of this "orner of the ark, and the sloes on the left hold
the tho!sand raid r!ts of the dam road in their violet shadow.
3agi"al ro"ession. 0agons, indeed, loaded with gilded wooden
animals, oles and ga!dily#"olo!red "anvas, galloed ast
f!rio!sly by twenty daled "ir"!s horses, and men and "hildren
on their tr!ly astonishing beasts A twenty vehi"les, "arved, de"ked
o!t and be#flowered like an"ient "arriages or in fairy#tales, f!ll of
"hildren dressed for s!b!rban astoral4 A "offins even, !nder their
"anoies of night, flo!rishing their ebony l!mes, filing ast to the
trot of the great bl!e#bla"k mares.
)0&
Cities
C:lluminations L.::; .illesD
.ities indeedE This is a eole for whom those Alleghanies and
9ebanons of dream were stagedE .halets of "rystal and wood that
move on invisible rails and !lleys. +ld "raters "ir"led by "olossi,
and alm#trees of "oer roaring melodio!sly in flames. $easts of
love reso!nd, on "anals that hang there behind the "halets. The
h!nt of "himes "ries in the gorges. 6!ilds of giganti" singers flo"k
among robes and oriflammes daGGling as the light on the s!mmits.
)0*
+n latforms in the midst of the g!lfs, Rolands tr!met their
valo!r. +n bridges a"ross the abyss, and the roofs of inns, the
sky<s heat "overs the masts with flags. .r!mbling aotheoses
overtake the high meadows where serahi" "enta!resses ste
among avalan"hes. Above the line of highest "rests, a sea tro!bled
by /en!s< eternal birth, "harged with orhi" fleets and the m!rm!r
of re"io!s earls and "on"hes A that sea darkens at times with
mortal lightning. +n the sloes, harvests of flowers, vast as o!r
swords and "!s, bellow. 8ro"essions of 3abs in r!sset, oaline
robes as"end the ravines. Their feet in the waterfalls and briars,
the deer ! there s!"kle at 1iana<s breast. The s!b!rban
'a""hantes sob, and the moon b!rns and howls. /en!s enters
"aves of smiths and hermits. .l!sters of bell#towers sing the ideas
of eoles. $rom "astles b!ilt of bone an !nknown m!si" iss!es.
All the legends evolve and elks move thro!gh the towns. The
aradise of storms s!bsides. Savages "easelessly dan"e the
no"t!rnal feast. And, on"e, 7 des"ended into the stir of a 'aghdad
street, where "rowds sang the =oy of fresh labo!rs, in the d!ll
breeGe, "ir"ling witho!t ower to el!de the fab!lo!s hantoms of
the hills where they m!st have gathered.
0hat kind arms, what sweet ho!r will re"over that region
from whi"h my sl!mbers and slightest movements "omeI
)08
!agabonds
C:lluminations L.:::; .agabondsD
8itif!l brotherE 0hat atro"io!s vigils 7 owe to himE B7 failed to
seiGe on this vent!re ardently. 7 made light of his infirmity. 7t
wo!ld be my fa!lt if we ret!rn to e>ile, to slavery.< -e "redited me
with strange ill#l!"k and inno"en"e, and added dis?!ieting
reasons.
7<d rely by =eering at this satani" s"holar, and end by
aroa"hing the window. 7 "reated, beyond the lands"ae
traversed by lines of rare m!si", hantoms of f!t!re no"t!rnal
l!>!ry.
After this vag!ely hygieni" diversion, 7 wo!ld stret"h o!t on
the straw mattress. And, almost every night, as soon as 7 was
aslee, the oor brother wo!ld rise, with rotten mo!th, and blinded
eyes A s!"h as he dreamed himself A and drag me a"ross the room
howling his dream of idiot sorrowE
7 had in fa"t, in all sin"erity, ledged to restore him to his
rimitive state as "hild of the s!n A and we wandered, no!rished
on the wine of "aves, and the bis"!it of the road, myself imatient
to find the la"e and the form!la.
)0(
Cities
C:lluminations L:L; $itiesD
The offi"ial a"roolis o!tdoes the most "olossal "on"et of
modern barbarity. 7mossible to des"ribe the d!ll light rod!"ed
by the imm!table grey skyH the imerial glare of the masonry, and
the eternal snow on the gro!nd. They have rerod!"ed, with
sing!larly aalling taste, all the "lassi"al ar"hite"t!ral wonders. 7
view e>hibitions of aintings in la"es twenty times larger than
-amton .o!rtE 0hat aintingE A @orwegian @eb!"hadneGGar
designed the stes of the ministriesH the minor offi"ials 7 saw are,
as it is, ro!der than 'rahmins, and 7 trembled at the ase"ts of the
g!ardians of those "olossi and their site s!ervisors. Thro!gh
gro!ing the b!ildings in s?!ares, terra"es, and "losed "o!rtyards,
they<ve s?!eeGed o!t the bell#towers. The arks resent rimitive
nat!re "!ltivated with wondro!s art. The better distri"t has
ine>li"able regions4 an arm of sea, witho!t boats, rolls its sheet of
bl!e gro!nd glass between ?!ays weighted with giant "andelabras.
A short bridge leads to a gate immediately below the dome of the
Sainte#.haelle. This dome is artisti" steel frame abo!t fifteen
tho!sand feet in diameter.
))0
$rom "ertain viewoints on the "oer bridges, latforms,
stairs whi"h wind ro!nd the "overed markets, 7 tho!ght 7 might
=!dge the deth of the "ityE That was the rodigio!s thing 7 "o!ld
not de"ide4 what levels of other distri"ts lay above and below the
a"roolisI $or the visitor in o!r day e>loration is imossible. The
"ommer"ial ?!arter is a "ir"!s in !niform style, with ar"aded
galleries. @o shos to be seen, b!t the snow in the street is
tramledH a few nabobs, rare as walkers on a 9ondon S!nday
morning, move towards a diamond "oa"h. A few red velvet divans4
olar drinks are served, whose ri"e ranges from eight h!ndred to
eight tho!sand r!ees. Regarding the "on"et of sear"hing o!t
theatres in this "ir"!s, 7 tell myself that the shos m!st "ontain
sombre dramas eno!gh. 7 think there are oli"eH b!t the laws m!st
be so strange that any idea of the advent!rers in this la"e el!des
me.
The s!b!rbs, as elegant as any fine street in 8aris, are favo!red
by a semblan"e of s!nlightH the demo"rati" element n!mbers a few
h!ndred so!ls. -ere again, the ho!ses are not in rowsH the s!b!rbs
lose themselves oddly in the "o!ntry, the B.o!nty<, whi"h fills the
endless west with forests and vast lantations where savage
gentlemen h!nt for news in the light whi"h they "reated.
)))
!igils
C:lluminations LL; .eillesD
7
7t<s reose in the light, neither fever nor lang!or, on the bed or the
field.
7t<s the friend neither ardent nor weak. The friend.
7t<s the beloved not tormented, and not tormenting. The
beloved.
The air and the world !nso!ght. 9ife.
A 0as this it, thenI
A And the dream "ools.
77
The lighting ret!rns to the "entre#ost. $rom the room<s two
e>tremities, a stage#set of sorts, harmoni" risers meet. The wall
fa"ing the wat"her is a sy"hologi"al s!""ession of frieGe#like
interse"tions, atmosheri" layers and geologi"al !nd!lations A
7ntense and raid dream of deely#felt gro!ings, with beings of
all tyes in all erse"tives.
))2
777
The lams and r!gs of the vigil make the so!nd of waves, at night,
beside the h!ll, aro!nd the r!dder.
The sea of vigil like AmNlie<s breasts.
The taestries, half#way !, "oses of la"e tinted emerald, into
whi"h the t!rtledoves of the vigil dart.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
The slab of bla"k hearth, real s!ns of the bea"hes4 ah, wells of
magi"H sole view of dawn, this on"eE
)),
%stic
C:lluminations LL:; M%stiKueD
+n the sloing bank, angels swirl their woollen robes on ast!res
of steel and emerald.
$ields of flame lea to the ro!nded hillto. +n the left the
ridge#mo!ld is tramled by every m!rder, every battle, and every
so!nd of disaster sins o!t its ar". 'ehind the ridge to the right the
line of as"ent, of rogress.
And, while the frieGe at the to of the i"t!re is formed of the
twisting and leaing m!rm!r of the "on"hes of h!man seas and
nights,
The flowery sweetness of stars and sky and the rest des"ends
oosite the embankment, like a basket A against o!r fa"e, and
"reates the abyss flowering and bl!e below.
))2
$a0n
C:lluminations LL::; ubeD
7 embra"ed the s!mmer dawn.
@othing was stirring yet on the fronts of the ala"es. The water
was dead. The "rowds of shadows had not yet left the woodland
road. 7 walked, waking vivid warm breaths, and the re"io!s
stones looked !, and wings rose witho!t so!nd.
The first advent!re, on the ath already f!ll of "ool ale
gleams, was a flower that told me its name.
7 smiled at the blond dishevelled waterfall among the fir trees4
on the silvered eak 7 re"ognised the 6oddess.
Then 7 lifted the veils one by one. 7n the lane, waving my
arms. +n the lain where 7 deno!n"ed her to the "o"kerel. 7n the
"ity, she fled among bell#towers and domes, and, r!nning like a
beggar a"ross the marble ?!ays, 7 "hased after her.
At the to of the road, near a la!rel wood, 7 s!rro!nded her
with her gathered veils, and 7 felt her vast body a little. 1awn and
the "hild fell down at the foot of the wood.
0aking, it was noon.
))5
Flo0ers
C:lluminations LL:::; FleursD
$rom a terra"e of gold A among threads of silk, grey ga!Ge, green
velvets and "rystal dis"s that darken like bronGe in the s!n A 7
wat"h the fo>glove oen on a "aret of silver filigree, eyes and
hair.
:ellow gold "oins srinkled on agate, mahogany "ol!mns
s!orting an emerald dome, b!n"hes of white satin and fine
srays of r!bies s!rro!nd the rose of water.
9ike a god with vast bl!e eyes and snowy forms, sea and sky
draw hosts of yo!ng and vigoro!s roses to the terra"es of marble.
))&
%undane 3octurne
C:lluminations LL:.; 9octurne .ulgaireD
A g!st oens oerati" brea"hes in the walls A obs"!res the
ivoting of shattered roofs A diserses the bo!ndaries of hearths A
e"lises the windows.
$rom the length of vine, resting my foot on a gargoyle A 7
"limbed into this "oa"h whose eriod is "learly indi"ated by the
"onve> glass, b!lging anels, and "!rved seats. -earse of my
sl!mbers, isolate, sheherd<s h!t of my foolishness, the vehi"le
t!rns on the t!rf of the abandoned highway4 and in a flaw at the
to of the right#hand window revolve ale l!nar fig!res, leaves,
breasts.
A A green and a bl!e, very dee, invade the image. Ln#
harnessing by a at"h of gravel.
A -ere one whistles for the storm, the Sodoms and ;er!salems,
the wild beasts and armies.
CA .oa"hman and "reat!res of dream will they take to the most
stifling thi"kets again, to l!nge me to the eyes in the silken
sring.D
A And to send !s, whied on, thro!gh laing waters and
silling dra!ghts, to roll over the mastiffs< bayingF
A A breath diserses the bo!ndaries of the hearth.
))*
%arine
C:lluminations LL.; MarineD
.hariots of "oer and silver A
8rows of silver and steel A
8lo!ghing the foam A
Rooting ! st!ms of the thorns.
The "!rrents of the heath,
And the vast r!ts of the ebb#tide,
$low away in "ir"les towards the east,
Towards the illars of the forest,
Towards the osts of the =etty,
0hose angle is battered by whirlwinds of light.
))8
#inter Feast
C:lluminations LL.:; FAte d5Bi*erD
The "as"ade so!nds behind the "omi"#oera shanties. .atherine#
wheels rolong, in the or"hards and aven!es by the meander A the
greens and reds of s!nset. @ymhs from -ora"e with %mire hair#
styles A Ro!nded Siberian women, .hinese girls like 'o!"hers.
))(
"nguish
C:lluminations LL.::; ngoisseD
.an it be that She will win ardon for my eternally "r!shed
ambitions A that a "omfortable ending will reair ages of overty A
that the day of s!""ess will l!ll !s to slee on the shame of o!r
fatal "l!msinessI
C+ alm#treesE 1iamondE A 9oveE /igo!rE A -igher than every
=oy or gloryE A of all kinds, everywhere A 1emon, god A yo!th of
this being#here4 7ED
That the a""idents of magi"al s"ien"e and movements of so"ial
brotherhood will be "herished as a rogressive restit!tion of
rimal freedomI ...
'!t the /amire who makes !s behave di"tates that we am!se
o!rselves with what she leaves !s, or else be more am!sing.
To roll on wo!nds thro!gh the wearying air and the seaH in
torment, thro!gh the silen"e of m!rdero!s water and airH thro!gh
smiling tort!res, in their atro"io!sly t!m!lt!o!s silen"e.
)20
%etropolitan
C:lluminations LL.:::; Mtro'olitainD
$rom the indigo strait to the seas of +ssian, on the ink and
orange sands that the vino!s sky has washed, "rystal bo!levards
have risen and interse"ted, o""!ied at on"e by oor yo!ng
families who sho at the fr!iterers. @o ri"hes. A The "ityE
$rom the desert of bit!men, in headlong flight !nder sheets of
fog sread in frightf!l layers thro!gh the sky that "!rves, retreats,
des"ends formed of deely sinister bla"k smoke that the +"ean in
mo!rning delivers, flee helmets, wheels, shis, "r!ers A The
battleE
Raise yo!r head4 that ar"hed wooden bridgeH the last kit"hen#
gardens of SamariaH those masks ill!mined by the lantern fl!ttered
by the "old nightH the foolish !ndine with the noisy dress, in the
river dethsH l!mino!s sk!lls among the ea#lants A and the other
hantasmagoria A the "o!ntryside.
Roads bordered by rails and walls, barely "ontaining the
thi"kets, and the atro"io!s flowers yo! wo!ld "all so!ls and
sisters. 1ramas damning with tedi!m A the roerty of fairy#tale
!ltra#Rhine aristo"ra"ies, ;aanese, 6!arani, still fit to re"eive the
m!si" of the an"ients A and there are inns whi"h are always oen
no longer A there are rin"esses, and, if yo! are not too
overwhelmed, the st!dy of stars A the sky.
The morning when, with -er, yo! wrestled among the glints
of snow, the green lis, the i"e, the bla"k flags and bl!e light#rays,
and the !rle erf!mes of the 8olar s!n A yo!r vigo!r.
)2)
Barbarian
C:lluminations LL:L; (arbareD
9ong after the days and the seasons, the beings and "o!ntries,
the banner of bloodied meat on the silk of seas and of ar"ti"
flowers4 Cthey do not e>ist.D
-aving re"overed from the old fanfares of heroism A that still
atta"k o!r hearts and heads A far from the an"ient assassins.
A +hE The banner of bloodied meat on the silk of seas and of
ar"ti" flowers4 Cthey do not e>ist.D
%"stasiesE
The blaGes raining in g!sts of frost. A %"stasiesE A fires in the
rain from the wind of diamonds h!rled o!t by the earthly heart,
"harred for !s. A + worldE A
C$ar from the old retreats and the old flames, that yo! hear and
feel,D
The blaGes and foams. The m!si", "h!rnings of g!lfs and the
sho"k of i"i"les on the stars.
+ e"stasies, + world, + m!si"E And here, forms, sweats, hair
and eyes, floating. And the white tears, boiling A + e"stasiesE A
and the feminine voi"e rea"hing the deths of vol"anoes and ar"ti"
"aves.
The bannerF
)22
Promontor
C:lluminations LLL; PromontoireD
The golden dawn and shivering evening find o!r brig in the offing
oosite this villa and its gro!nds, forming a romontory as
e>tensive as %ir!s or the 8eloonnese, ;aan<s main island, or
ArabiaE Temles lit by the ret!rn of theoriesH immense views of
modern "oastal defen"esH d!nes ill!strated with torrid flowers and
ba""hanalsH .arthage<s great "anals and the embankments of a
sleaGy /eni"eH faint er!tions of %tna, "revasses of flowers and
gla"ial waterH la!ndries s!rro!nded by 6erman olarsH sloes of
sing!lar arks h!ng with the "rowns of ;aanese TreesH and the
"!rved fa"ades of the BRoyals< and B6rands< of S"arboro!gh and
'rooklynH and their railways flank, !ndermine, overhang the
hotel<s elevations, "hosen from the most elegant most "olossal
"onstr!"tions of 7taly, Ameri"a, Asia, whose windows and
terra"es, at resent f!ll of "ostly ill!minations, drinks and breeGes,
are oen to the infl!en"e of voyagers and the nobility A who
ermit, in daylight ho!rs, all the tarantellas of the "oasts A and
even the ritornellos of the ill!strio!s vales of art, to adorn the
fa"ades of the 8ala"e#8romontory with marvels.
)2,
Scenes
C:lluminations LLL:; ScnesD
The an"ient .omedy !rs!es its harmonies, ortions o!t its idylls4
'o!levards of lanking.
A long wooden ier from one end to the other of a ro"ky field,
where the barbaro!s "rowd move beneath bare trees.
1own "orridors of bla"k ga!Ge, following the walkers with
their lanterns and leaves,
Theatri"al birds swoo down on a masonry ontoon stirred by
the ar"hielago "overed with se"tators embarking.
9yri"al s"enes a""omanied by fl!te and r!m, sloing to
re"esses at "eiling height ro!nd the salons of modern "l!bs or
an"ient +riental halls.
3agi"al sights manoe!vre at the amhitheatre<s rim "rowned
with thi"kets A or move and mod!late for the 'oeotians, in the
shade of tall shifting trees, at the edge of "!ltivation.
The "omi" oera slits aart on o!r stage at the ridge where
ten artitions interse"t, that stret"h from gallery to footlights.
)22
Historic Evening
C:lluminations LLL::; Soir BistoriKueD
7n whatever evening, for instan"e, the simle to!rist retiring from
o!r e"onomi" horrors finds himself, the hand of a master wakes
the harsi"hord of meadowsH "ards are layed in the deths of the
ond, mirror, evoker of ?!eens and favo!ritesH there are saints,
sails, and threads of harmony, and legendary "hromati"ism in the
s!nset.
-e sh!dders at the assing of the h!nts and the hordes. 1rama
dris on the latforms of t!rf. And the s!erfl!ity of the oor and
the weak on these st!id levelsE
To his slave<s eye, 6ermany towers !wards toward moonsH
Tartar deserts light !H an"ient revolts foment at the heart of the
.elestial %mireH along the stairways and arm"hairs of ro"ks a
little world, ale and flat, is to be b!ilt. Then a ballet of known
seas and nightsH "hemistry witho!t virt!e, and imossible
melodies.
The same bo!rgeois magi" wherever the a"ket#boat deosits
!sE The most elementary hysi"ist feels it is no longer to ossible
to s!bmit oneself to this ersonal atmoshere, this fog of hysi"al
remorse, observation of whi"h is already an affli"tion.
@oE The moment of the steam room, of evaorating seas, of
s!bterranean "onflagrations, of the wandering lanet and the
"onse?!ent e>terminations, "ertainties indi"ated with so little
mali"e by the 'ible and the @orns whi"h it will fall to the serio!s
being to witness A -owever it will be no matter of legendE
)25
%ovement
C:lluminations LLL:::; Mou*ementD
The movement of la"e at the brink of the weir,
The g!lf at the stern,
The swiftness of sloe,
The vast sway of the "!rrent
1raw the voyager thro!gh e>traordinary lights
And "hemi"al "hange
S!rro!nded by waters of the vale
And the strom.
These are the "on?!erors of the world
Seeking their ersonal "hemi"al fort!nesH
Am!sement and "omfort travel with themH
They "arry the ed!"ation
+f ra"es, "lasses and "reat!res, on this vessel
Reose and vertigo
7n the dil!vial light,
7n terrible nights of st!dy.
$or from the "onversation among the e?!iment, the blood,
the flowers, the fire, the gems,
The an>io!s "al"!lations on the fleeing de"k,
A +ne sees, rolling by like a dyke beyond the hydra!li"ally#
owered road,
3onstro!s, ill!minating endlessly A their store of st!diesH
1riven themselves into harmonio!s e"stasy,
And the heroism of dis"overy.
)2&
Among the most s!rrising atmosheri" events,
A yo!ng "o!le hold aloof on the ark,
A 7s it a ardonable rimitive shynessI A
And sing and mo!nt g!ard.
)2*
Bottom
C:lluminations LLL:.; (ottomD
Reality being too thorny for my great ersonality A 7 fo!nd myself
nonetheless, at my lady<s, as a large bl!e#grey bird soaring
towards the "eiling mo!ldings or trailing my wing in the shadows
of evening.
7 have been, at the foot of the bed#head s!orting her adored
=ewels and her hysi"al masterie"es, a large bear with violet
g!ms, f!r griGGled with sorrow, and eyes of "rystal and the silver
of "onsole#tables.
All be"ame shadow and fiery a?!ari!m.
At daybreak A belli"ose ;!ne dawn A 7 ran to the fields, an ass,
braying and brandishing my grievan"e, till the Sabine women of
the s!b!rbs "ame to throw themselves on my ne"k.
)28
H
C:lluminations LLL.; BD
%verything monstro!s violates -ortense<s atro"io!s gest!res. -er
solit!de is the eroti" ma"hineryH her lassit!de, the amoro!s
dynami". Lnder s!rveillan"e by infan"y, she has been, at many
eo"hs, the ardent hygiene of ra"es. -er door is oen to overty.
There, the morality of living beings is disembodied in her assion
or a"tion. A +h, terrible sh!dder of !nskilled loves on the blood#
stained floor and amongst transarent hydrogen find -ortenseE
)2(
Praer
C:lluminations LLL.:; /*otionD
To my Sister 9o!ise /anaen de /oringhem4 A her bl!e "oif t!rned
towards the @orth Sea. A $or the shiwre"ked.
To my Sister 9Nonie A!bois d<Ashby. 'aowE A The b!GGing,
stinking s!mmer grass. A $or the fevers of mothers and "hildren.
To 9!l! A demon A who has maintained her taste for the
oratories of the age of Les mies and her !nfinished ed!"ation.
$or men. A To 3adame RRR.
To the adoles"ent 7 was. To this old saint, hermitage or
mission. To the sirit of the oor. And to a very high "lergy. Also
to every "!lt, in s!"h a la"e of memorial "!lts and among s!"h
events that one m!st s!rrender, a""ording to the asirations of the
moment or o!r own serio!s vi"es.
This evening, to .ir"eto of the i"y heights, fat as a fish,
and ill!minated like the ten months of reddish light A Cher heart
amber and s!nkD A my only rayer as silent as the regions of
night and re"eding a"ts of daring more violent than this olar
"haos.
At any ri"e and in every g!ise, even in metahysi"al
=o!rneys. A '!t then no more.
),0
$emocrac
C:lluminations LLL.::; /mocratieD
BThe flag goes with the fo!l lands"ae, and o!r diale"t m!ffles the
dr!m.
7n the 7nterior we<ll no!rish the most "yni"al rostit!tion.
0e<ll massa"re logi"al rebellions.
To the si"ed and sodden "o!ntriesE A 7n the servi"e of the
most monstro!s e>loitations, ind!strial or military. $arewell here,
no matter where. /ol!ntary "ons"rits we<ll ossess a fier"e
hilosohy4 ignorant of s"ien"e, wily for o!r "omforts4 let the
world go hang. That<s tr!e rogress. $orward A mar"hE<
),)
Fair
C:lluminations LLL.:::; Fair%D
$or -elen embellishing sas "onsired in virgin shadows and
imassive radian"e, in astral silen"e. The s!mmer heat was
entr!sted to m!te birds and the re?!isite indolen"e, to a mo!rning
barge beyond ri"e among bays of dead loves and s!nken
erf!mes.
After the moment of the wood"!tters< wives air, to the m!rm!r
of torrent below the r!ined woods, to the "attle#bells in the
e"hoing valleys, and the "ries of the stees.
$or -elen<s "hildhood thi"kets and shadows trembled, the
breasts of the oor, and heavenly legends.
And her eyes and her dan"e s!erior even to the re"io!s
gleams, the "old infl!en"es, and the leas!re of the !ni?!e s"enery
and ho!r.
),2
#ar
C:lluminations LLL:L; NuerreD
As a "hild, "ertain skies refined my erse"tive4 all "hara"ters
shaded my feat!res. 8henomena shifted abo!t. @ow, the eternal
infle"tion of moments and the infinity of mathemati"s drive me
thro!gh this world where 7 s!bmit to every "ivi" hono!r, rese"ted
by strange "hildren and enormo!s affe"tions. 7 dream of a war, of
right or of might, of ?!ite !ne>e"ted logi".
7t<s as simle as a hrase of m!si".
),,
'enie
C:lluminations LL; NnieD
-e is affe"tion and the resent be"a!se he has b!ilt the ho!se oen
to the foaming winter and the so!nds of s!mmer, he who !rified
food and drink, he who is the "harm of f!gitive la"es and the
s!erh!man delight of halts. -e is affe"tion and the f!t!re, the
ower and love that we, held in rage and boredom, wat"h as it
asses by in the stormy sky among banners of e"stasy.
-e is love, erfe"t and reinvented meas!re, marvello!s and
!ne>e"ted reason, and eternity4 beloved ma"hinery of the fatal
for"es. 0e have all known the terror of his s!rrender and o!r own4
+ leas!re in o!r health, im!lse of o!r fa"!lties, selfish affe"tion
and assion for him, he who loves !s thro!gho!t his infinite
lifeF.. And we s!mmon him again and he travels onFAnd if
Adoration vanishes, it reso!nds, his romise reso!nds4 BAway with
these s!erstitions, these an"ient bodies, these ho!seholds and
these ages. 7t is this No?!e that has darkenedE<
-e will not goH he will not des"end from any heaven again, he
will not a"hieve the redemtion of 0oman<s anger and 3an<s
gaieties, and all that sin4 be"a!se it<s finished, he e>ists, and he<s
loved.
),2
+ his breaths, his heads, his r!nning4 the terrible swiftness of
the erfe"tion of forms and a"tionE
+ fe"!ndity of the sirit and vastness of the !niverseE
-is bodyE The redemtion dreamed of, the shattering of gra"e
meeting with new violen"eE
The sight of him, the sight of himE All the old kneeling and
ains lifted at his assing.
-is lightE The abolition of all sonoro!s and moving s!ffering
in a more intense m!si".
-is steE 3igrations more enormo!s than the old invasions.
+ -e and 0eE 8ride more kindly than lost "harities.
+ worldE And the "lear song of new misfort!nesE
-e has known !s all and loved !s all. 3ay we know on this
winter night, from "ae to "ae, from t!m!lt!o!s ole to "hatea!,
from the "rowd to the sands, from glan"e to glan"e, strength and
feelings weary, how to hail him and see him, and send him on his
way again, and !nder the tides and over the deserts of snow,
follow his visions, his breaths, his body, his light.
),5
*outh
C:lluminations LL:; DeunesseD
7
SL@1A:
8roblems aside, the inevitable des"ent from the sky and the visit of
memories and the gathering of rhythms o""!y the dwelling, the
head and the world of the mind.
A A horse takes off on the s!b!rban t!rf ast the fields and
woodlands, riddled with "arboni" lag!e. A wret"hed woman in
some drama, somewhere in the world, sighs for imrobable
abandonment. 1eseradoes long for storms, dr!nkenness and
wo!nds. 9ittle "hildren stifle "!rses beside the rivers.
9et !s res!me o!r st!dies to the so!nd of the all#"ons!ming
work that gathers and rises among the masses.
),&
77
S+@@%T
3an of normal "onstit!tion, was the flesh not a fr!it h!ng in the
or"hard, oh "hildish daysE The body a treas!re to s?!anderH oh, to
love, 8sy"he<s eril or strengthI %arth had sloes fertile in rin"es
and artists, and rogeny and the ra"e drove !s to "rime and
mo!rning4 the world, yo!r fort!ne and yo!r eril. '!t now, that
toil rewarded, yo!, yo!r "al"!lations, yo!, yo!r imatien"e, are no
more than yo!r dan"e and yo!r voi"e, neither fi>ed nor for"ed,
tho!gh for the do!ble "onse?!en"e of s!""ess and invention a
reason, with !nass!ming and fraternal h!manity, in the imageless
!niverse A strength and right refle"t the dan"e and the voi"e only
now are"iatedF
777
T0%@T: :%ARS
The instr!"tive voi"es e>iledFhysi"al ingen!o!sness bitterly
staleFAdagio. Ah, the infinite egoism of adoles"en"e, the
st!dio!s otimism4 how f!ll the world was of flowers, that
s!mmerE The airs and the forms dyingFA "hoir, to "alm
imoten"e and absen"eE A "hoir of glass with no"t!rnal
melodiesF7ndeed the nerves will soon be on the h!nt.
),*
7/
:o! are still at the temtation of Anthony. The anti"s of "!rtailed
Geal, the ti"s of !erile ride, weakening, and terror. '!t yo! will
set yo!rself to this work4 all the harmoni" and ar"hite"t!ral
ossibilities will stir ro!nd yo!r er"h. 8erfe"t !nforeseen beings
will offer themselves to yo!r e>eriments. Aro!nd yo! will gather
dreamily the "!riosity of an"ient m!ltit!des and idle wealth. :o!r
memory and yo!r senses will be simly the fodder for yo!r
"reative im!lse. As for the world, when yo! emerge, what will
have be"ome of itI @othing, in any "ase, of its resent seeming.
),8
Sale
C:lluminations LL::; SoldeD
$or sale what the awnbrokers have not sold, what nobility and
"rime have not tasted, what<s !nknown to love and the infernal
honesty of the massesH what neither the age nor s"ien"e need
a"knowledge4
The /oi"es re"onstit!tedH the fraternal awakening of all the
"horal and or"hestral energies and their instantaneo!s ali"ationH
the o""asion, !ni?!e, for freeing o!r sensesE
$or sale bodies beyond ri"e, of no known ra"e, world, se>, or
des"entE Ri"hes s!rting at every steE An !nrestri"ted sale of
diamondsE
$or sale anar"hy for the massesH irreressible leas!re for
"onnoisse!rsH atro"io!s deaths for the faithf!l, for loversE
$or sale habitations and migrations, sorts, erfe"t
en"hantments and "omforts, and the so!nd, motion and f!t!re they
"reateE
$or sale !nheard of ali"ations of "om!tation and leas of
harmony. .han"e finds and !ns!se"ted terms, with immediate
ossession.
0ild and infinite im!lse towards invisible slendo!rs,
intangible delights, with its maddening se"rets for every vi"e and
its frightening gaiety for the "rowd.
$or sale bodies, voi"es, immense !n?!estionable o!len"e, all
that whi"h is never for sale. The vendors have not yet rea"hed the
end of their sto"kE The salesmen won<t have to "laim their
"ommission for a long while yetE
),(
" Season in Hell - Prologue
CGne Saison en HnferD
+n"e, if 7 remember rightly, my life was a feast where all hearts
oened, and all wines flowed.
+ne evening 7 sat 'ea!ty on my knees A And 7 fo!nd her bitter
A And 7 reviled her.
7 armed myself against ;!sti"e.
7 fled. + sor"eresses, + misery, + hatred, it was to yo! my
treas!re was entr!stedE
7 managed to erase all h!man hoe from my mind. 7 made the
wild beast<s silent lea to strangle every =oy.
7 s!mmoned e>e"!tioners to bite their g!n#b!tts as 7 died. 7
s!mmoned lag!es, to stifle myself with sand and blood.
3isfort!ne was my god. 7 stret"hed o!t in the m!d. 7 dried myself
in the breeGes of "rime. And 7 layed some fine tri"ks on madness.
And sring bro!ght me the dreadf!l la!gh of the idiot.
@ow, =!st lately, finding myself on the oint of !ttering the last
croa>, 7 tho!ght of seeking the key to the old feast, where 7 might
erhas find my aetite againE
.harity is the key A This insiration roves 7 have been
dreamingE
B:o!<re a hyena stillF< the demon "ries who "rowned me with
s!"h delightf!l oies. B0in death with all yo!r aetitesH yo!r
egoism, all the deadly sins.<
Ah, 7<ve ra"tised too manyE A '!t, dear Satan, 7 beg yo!, an
eye a little less inflamedE And while awaiting my few "owardly
little deeds, for yo! who riGe in a writer the la"k of des"ritive or
instr!"tive skill, for yo!, 7 tear off these few hideo!s ages from
my notebook of a damned so!l.
)20
Bad Blood
CGne Saison en Hnfer; Mau*ais SangD
7<ve the whitish bl!e eye of my 6alli" an"estors, the narrow sk!ll,
and the awkwardness in "ombat. 7 find my "lothing as barbaro!s
as theirs. '!t 7 don<t b!tter my hair.
The 6a!ls were the most inet flayers of "attle and b!rners of
grass of their age.
$rom them 7 get4 idolatry and love of sa"rilege4 A oh, all the
vi"es, anger, l!st A magnifi"ent, the l!st A above all lying and
slothE
7<ve a horror of all trades. 3asters and workers4 all easants,
ignoble. The hand on the en<s the same as the hand at the lo!gh.
A 0hat an age of handsE A 7<ll never get my hand in. Anyway
servi"e goes too far. The honesty of beggary !sets me. .riminals
disg!st me like e!n!"hs4 me, 7<m whole, and it<s all one to meE
'!tE 0ho made my tong!e so de"eitf!l that it<s g!ided and
safeg!arded my laGiness till nowI 0itho!t even !sing my body to
live, and idler than a toad, 7<ve lived everywhere. @ot a family in
%!roe 7 don<t know. A 7 mean families like mine, who owe it all
to the de"laration of the Rights of 3an. A 7<ve known every son of
good familyE
R
7f only 7<d forer!nners at some time or other in the history of
$ran"eE
'!t no, nothing.
7t<s obvio!s to me 7<ve always belonged to an inferior ra"e. 7
don<t !nderstand rebellion. 3y ra"e never rose ! e>"et to
illage4 like wolves ro!nd a beast they haven<t killed.
)2)
7 re"all the history of $ran"e, eldest da!ghter of the .h!r"h.
As a easant 7<d have made the =o!rney to the -oly 9and4 7 have
all the roads of the Swabian lains in my head, all the views of
'yGanti!m, the ramarts of S!leiman4 the "!lt of the /irginH
tenderness for the "r!"ified, wake in me among a tho!sand
rofane en"hantments. A 7 sit, a leer, among broken ots and
nettles, at the foot of a wall ravaged by the s!n. A 9ater, a
mer"enary, 7<d have bivo!a"ked !nder 6erman midnights.
AhE Again4 7 dan"e the Sabbath in a red glade, with old
women and "hildren.
7 remember nothing more distant than this "o!ntry and
.hristianity. 7<d never be finished with viewing myself in this ast.
'!t always alone4 witho!t a family4 what lang!age, even, did 7
seakI 7 never see myself in the "o!nsels of .hrist4 nor in the
"o!n"ils of the 9ords A reresentatives of .hrist.
0hat was 7 in the last "ent!ryI 7 only dis"over myself in the
resent day. @o more vagabonds, no more vag!e wars. The
inferior ra"e has sread everywhere A the eole, as one says,
reason4 the nation and s"ien"e.
+hE S"ien"eE They<ve altered everything. $or the body and the
so!l A the %!"harist A we<ve medi"ine and hilosohy A old
wives< remedies and arrangements of o!lar songs. And the
diversions of rin"es and the games they rohibitedE 6eograhy,
"osmograhy, hysi"s, "hemistryE F
S"ien"eE The new nobilityE 8rogress. The world rogressesE
0hy sho!ldn<t it t!rn as wellI
7t<s the vision of n!mbers. 0e advan"e towards the Sirit. 7t<s
?!ite "ertain4 it<s ora"!lar, what 7 say. 7 know, and !naware how to
e>ress myself witho!t agan words, 7<d rather be m!te.
)22
R
The agan blood ret!rnsE The Sirit is near, why doesn<t .hrist
hel me by granting my so!l nobility and freedomI AlasE The
6osel has assedE The 6oselE The 6osel.
7 wait for 6od with greed. 7<ve been of inferior ra"e from all
eternity.
-ere 7 am on the 'reton shore. -ow the towns glow in the
evening. 3y day is done4 7<m ?!itting %!roe. Sea air will s"or"h
my l!ngs4 lost "limates will tan me. To swim, tramle the grass,
h!nt, above all smoke4 drink hard li?!ors like boiling metals A as
those dear an"estors did ro!nd the fire.
7<ll ret!rn with iron limbsH dark skin, a f!rio!s look4 from my
mask 7<ll be =!dged as of mighty ra"e. 7<ll have gold4 7<ll be idle
and br!tal. 0omen "are for those fier"e invalids ret!rning from
hot "o!ntries. 7<ll be involved in oliti"s. Saved.
@ow 7<m damned, 7 have a horror of "o!ntry. The best is a
good dr!nken slee on the bea"h.
)2,
R
+ne doesn<t go. A 9et<s take to the roads again, f!ll of my vi"e, the
vi"e that has thr!st its roots of s!ffering into my side, sin"e the age
of reason A that rises to the sky, strikes me, kno"ks me down,
drags me along.
The last inno"en"e, and the last timidity. 7<ve said it. @ot to
"arry my disg!st and betrayals thro!gh the world.
9et<s goE 3ar"hing, b!rdens, deserts, boredom, anger.
0hom shall 7 hire myself toI 0hat beast m!st be adoredI
0hat saintly image atta"kedI 0hat hearts shall 7 breakI 0hat lie
m!st 7 !holdI A 0ade thro!gh what bloodI
Rather, rote"t oneself from =!sti"e A a hard life, !re
br!talisation A to oen the "offin lid with a withered handH sit
down, sto yo!r breath. So no old age, no dangers4 to be terrified
is !n#$ren"h.
A AhE 7 am so forsaken 7 "o!ld offer any divine image no
matter what my !rges towards erfe"tion.
+ my self#denial, + my marvello!s ityE %ven down
hereE
/e 'rofundis /omine, what a "reat!re 7 amE
)22
R
Still a "hild, 7 admired the st!bborn "onvi"t on whom the rison
gates always "lose again4 7 visited inns and lodgings that he might
have san"tified with his resen"e4 7 saw the bl!e sky with his
mind, and the flowering labo!r of the "o!ntryside4 7 s"ented his
fate in the towns. -e had more strength than a saint, more good
sense than a traveller A and he, he aloneE As witness to his glory
and reason.
+n the roads, on winter nights, witho!t shelter, witho!t
"lothing, witho!t bread, a voi"e wo!ld "l!t"h my froGen heart4
B0eakness or strength4 with yo! it<s strength. :o! don<t know
where yo!<re going or why yo!<re going4 go everywhere, rea"t to
everything. They won<t kill yo! any more than if yo! were a
"orse.< 7n the morning 7 had s!"h a lost look, s!"h a dead fa"e,
that those who met me 'erha's the% did not see me.
S!ddenly, in the towns, the m!d wo!ld seem red or bla"k to
me, like the mirror when the lam is "arried abo!t in the ne>t
room, like a treas!re in the forestE 6ood l!"k, 7<d "ry, and 7<d see a
sea of flames and smoke in the sky4 and to right and left all the
ri"hes flaming like a trillion lightning flashes.
'!t orgies and the "omany of women were forbidden me.
@ot even a friend. 7 "o!ld see myself before an angry "rowd,
fa"ing the firing#s?!ad, weeing with a misery they "o!ldn<t have
!nderstood, and forgiving themE A 9ike ;oan of Ar"E A B8riests,
rofessors, masters, yo!<re wrong to hand me over to =!sti"e. 7<ve
never been art of this ra"e. 7<ve never been a .hristian4 7<m of the
ra"e that sings !nder tort!re4 7 don<t !nderstand the law4 7<ve no
moral sense, 7<m a br!te4 yo!<re wrongF<
:es, 7<ve sh!t my eyes to yo!r light. 7<m a beast, a bla"k. '!t 7
"an be saved. :o! are really bla"ks, yo! mania"sH wild beasts,
misers. 3er"hant, yo!<re a bla"k4 magistrate, yo!<re a bla"k4
general, yo!<re a bla"k4 emeror, yo! old sore, yo!<re a bla"k4
yo!<ve dr!nk an !nta>ed li?!or, Satan<s make. A This ra"e is
insired by fever and "an"er. +ld folks and invalids are so
rese"table they ask to be boiled. A The "leverest thing is to ?!it
this "ontinent, where madness rowls to find hostages for these
wret"hes. 7<m off to the tr!e kingdom of the sons of -am.
)25
1o 7 know nat!re yetI 1o 7 know myselfI A 9o more #ords. 7
b!ry the dead in my g!t. Sho!ts, dr!ms, dan"e, dan"e, dan"e,
dan"eE 7 don<t even see the moment when the whites land and 7<ll
fall to nothingness.
-!nger, thirst, sho!ts, dan"e, dan"e, dan"e, dan"eE
)2&
R
The whites are landing. .annonE 0e have to s!bmit to batism,
"lothes, work.
7<ve re"eived the cou' de grJce to my heart. AhE 7 hadn<t
foreseen itE
7<ve done nothing wrong. The days will ass easily for me,
reentan"e will be sared me. 7<ll not have known the torments of
the so!l that<s almost dead to virt!e, where the light rises severely
like that from f!neral taers. The fate of a son of good family, an
early "offin s"attered with "rystal tears. 1o!btless, deba!"hery is
foolishH vi"e is foolish, rottenness m!st be thrown o!t. '!t the
"lo"k has not yet taken to striking only ho!rs of !re sadnessE
Shall 7 be "arried off like a "hild to lay in aradise forgetting all
!nhainessI
P!i"kE Are there other livesI A Reose with ri"hes is
imossible. 0ealth has always been so !bli". 1ivine love alone
offers the keys of knowledge. 7 see that nat!re is nothing b!t a
show of kindness. $arewell "himeras, ideals, errors.
The rational song of the Angels rises from the lifeboat4 it is
divine love. A Two 9ovesE 7 "an die of earthly love, or die of
devotion. 7<ve left so!ls for whom the ain of my deart!re
in"reasesE :o! have "hosen me from the shiwre"ked4 those who
are left aren<t they my friendsI
Save themE
Reason is born in me. The world is good. 7<ll bless life. 7<ll
love my brothers. These are no longer "hildish romises. @or the
hoe of es"aing old age and death. 6od give me strength and 7
raise 6od.
)2*
R
Tedi!m<s no longer my love. Rage, deba!"heries, madness, all of
whose =oys and disasters 7 know A my whole b!rden<s laid down.
9et !s are"iate witho!t diGGiness the e>tent of my inno"en"e.
7<d no longer be "aable of demanding the "omfort of a
bastinado. 7 don<t think 7<m embarking for a wedding with ;es!s
.hrist for father#in#law.
7<m not a risoner of my reason. 7 said4 B6od, 7 want freedom
in salvation4 how to !rs!e itI $rivolo!s tastes have ?!it me. @o
need for self#sa"rifi"e or divine love any more. 7 don<t regret the
age of sensitive hearts. %a"h has his reason, s"orn, ity4 7 retain
my la"e at the s!mmit of this angeli" ladder of good sense.
As for established hainess4 domesti" or notFno, 7 "an<t. 7<m
too dissiated, too feeble. 9ife flowers thro!gh work, an old tr!th4
me, my life is too ins!bstantial, it flies off and drifts aro!nd far
above the a"tion that fo"!s dear to the world.
0hat an old maid 7<m be"oming, la"king the "o!rage to love
deathE
7f 6od wo!ld grant me "elestial, aerial, "alm, rayer A like the
an"ient saints A the SaintsE Strong onesE The an"horites, artists for
whom there<s no longer needE
.ontin!al far"eE 3y inno"en"e sho!ld make me wee. 9ife is
the far"e all erform.
)28
R
%no!ghE -ere is the senten"e. # 3ar"hE
AhE 3y l!ngs b!rn, my brow throbsE @ight revolves in my
eyes, in this s!nE -eartFlimbsF
0here toI To fightI 7<m weakE The others advan"e.
%?!iment, armsFthe weatherE F
$ireE $ire at meE -ereE +r 7<ll s!rrender A .owardsE A 7<ll kill
myselfE 7<ll h!rl myself !nder the horses< hoovesE
AhE ...
A 7<ll get !sed to it.
That wo!ld be the $ren"h way, the ath of hono!rE
)2(
3ight in Hell
CGne Saison en Hnfer; 9uit de L5HnferD
7 have swallowed a famo!s g!l of oison A Thri"e blessed be the
tho!ght that "ame to meE A 3y g!ts are b!rning. The venom<s
violen"e wra"ks my limbsH deforms me, fells me. 7<m dying of
thirstH 7<m stifling, !nable to "ry o!t. 7t<s hell, the everlasting
tormentE See how the flames rise !E 7<m b!rning in the roer
manner. 0ell then, demonE
7<ve glimsed a "onversion to goodness and =oy, salvation. 9et
me des"ribe the vision, the air of hell s!ffers no hymnsE 7t was of
millions of en"hanting "reat!res, sweet sirit!al harmony, strength
and ea"e, noble ambitions, who knows whatI
@oble ambitionsE
There<s life yetE A 0hat if damnation is eternalE A man who
wants to m!tilate himself is tr!ly damned, is he notI 7 think
myself in hell, therefore 7 am. 7t<s the ratifi"ation of the "ate"hism.
7<m the slave of my batism. 8arents, yo! "a!sed my
wret"hedness and yo!r own. 8oor inno"entE A -ell "an<t to!"h
agans A There<s life yetE 9ater the delights of damnation will
deeen. A "rime, ?!i"k, let me fall into the void, in the name of
h!man law.
P!iet, ?!iet thereE ... -ere<s shame and reroa"h4 Satan, who
says that the fire is ignoble, that my anger is fearf!lly st!id. A
%no!ghE ... +f the errors whisered to me, magi", false erf!mes,
!erile m!si". A And to think that 7 gras tr!th, see =!sti"e4 my
=!dgement is sane and so!nd, 7 am ready for erfe"tionF 8ride A
the skin of my head dries !. 8ityE 9ord, 7<m afraid. 7 thirst, s!"h
thirstE Ah, "hildhood, grass, the rain, the lake over stones, the
moonlight #hen the cloc> struc> t#el*eO Fthe devil<s in the
belfry, at that ho!r. 3aryE -oly /irginE A -orror at my st!idity.
'a"k there, aren<t there honest so!ls, who wish me wellI ...
.omeF7<ve a illow over my mo!thH they "an<t hear me, they<re
hantoms. 'esides, no one ever thinks of others. 9et no one "ome
near me. 7 smell of s"or"hing, that<s "ertain.
)50
The hall!"inations are inn!merable. That<s what has always
been wrong with me, in fa"t4 no belief in history, oblivio!sness to
rin"iles. 7<ll be ?!iet abo!t it4 oets and visionaries wo!ld be
=ealo!s. 7 am a tho!sand times ri"her, let<s be as miserly as the sea.
See thereE The "lo"k of life has =!st stoed. 7 am no longer in
the world A Theology is no =oke, hell is "ertainly do#n belo# A
and heaven above A %"stasy, nightmare, sl!mber in a nest of
flames.
0hat tri"ks while waiting in the "o!ntrysideFSatan,
$erdinand, r!ns rife with wild seedF;es!s walks on the !rle
briars, witho!t bending themF;es!s on"e walked on the tro!bled
waters. The lantern showed him to !s standing, ale with brown
tresses, on the flank of an emerald waveF
7 shall !nveil all the mysteries4 mysteries religio!s or nat!ral,
death, birth, f!t!re, ast, "osmogony, nothingness. 7 am a master
of hantasmagoria.
9istenE ...
7 ossess every talentE A There is no one here, yet there is
someone4 7 don<t wish to sill my treas!re A Shall it be negro
"hants, the dan"e of ho!risI Shall 7 vanish, dive dee in sear"h of
the ringI Shall 7I 7 will make gold, "!res.
-ave faith then in me, faith soothes, g!ides, heals. .ome, all
yo! A even the little "hildren A let me "onsole yo!, may a heart go
o!t to yo! A the marvello!s heartE A 8oor men, workersE 7 don<t
ask for rayerH with yo!r tr!st alone, 7<ll be hay.
A And let !s "onsider myself. 7t makes me regret the world
very little. 7 was l!"ky not to s!ffer more. 3y life was nothing b!t
sweet follies, it<s regrettable.
'ahE 9et !s make every ossible grima"e.
1e"idedly, we are beyond the world. @o more so!nds. 3y
sense of to!"h4 gone. Ah, my "hatea!, my Sa>ony, my rank of
willowsE %venings, dawns, nights, daysF-ow weary 7 amE
)5)
7 o!ght to have a hell for my anger, a hell for my ride, A and
a hell for my "aressesH a "on"ert of hells.
7<m dying of lassit!de. 7t<s the tombH 7<m going to the worms,
horror of horrorsE Satan, yo! tri"kster, yo! want to destroy me
with yo!r en"hantments. 7 demand, 7 demand one ri"k of the
fork, one dro of the fireE
Ah, to rise again to lifeE To set eyes on o!r deformities. And
that oison, that kiss a tho!sand times damnedE 3y weakness, the
world<s "r!eltyE 3y 6od, have ity, hide me, 7 "an<t defend
myselfE A 7<m hidden yet !n#hidden.
7t<s the fire that flares again with its damned so!l.
)52
Ravings ( 4 Foolish !irgin+ The (nfernal Spouse
CGne Saison en Hnfer; /lires :; .ierge Folle, L5='ouF :nfernalD
9et !s hear the "onfession of a "omanion in hell4
B+ divine So!se, my 9ord, do not ref!se the "onfession of the
most sorrowf!l of yo!r servants. 7 am lost. 7 am dr!nk. 7 am
im!re. 0hat a lifeE
$orgiveness, divine 9ord, forgivenessE Ah, forgivenessE 0hat
tearsE And what tears again, later, 7 hoeE
9ater, 7 will know the divine So!seE 7 was born -is slave. A
The other "an beat me for nowE
At resent, 7 inhabit the world<s dethsE + my friendsE F @o,
not my friendsF@ever s!"h ravings s!"h tormentsF7t<s so
st!idE
Ah, 7 s!ffer, "ry o!tE 7 s!ffer tr!ly. And yet all is ermitted me,
weighed down with the "ontemt of the most "ontemtible hearts.
0ell then, let !s "onfide this thing, tho!gh we reeat it twenty
times more A =!st as drearily, as insignifi"antE
7 am slave to the infernal So!se, he who r!ined the foolish
virgins. 7t<s indeed that very same demon. 7t<s no se"tre, it<s no
hantom. '!t 7 who have lost my wisdom, who am damned and
dead to the world A they won<t kill meE A -ow "an 7 des"ribe him
to yo!E 7 "an<t seak any more. 7 am in mo!rning, 7 wee, 7 fear. A
little "oolness, 9ord, if yo! lease, if yo! gra"io!sly leaseE
7<m a widowFA 7 was a widow
...
A why yes, 7 was very
rese"table on"e, 7 was not born to be a skeletonE ... A -e was
almost a "hildF-is mysterio!s sensitivities sed!"ed me. 7 forgot
all my h!man tasks to follow him. 0hat a lifeE The tr!e life is
absent. 0e are not in this world. 7 go where he goes, 7 have to.
And often he<s angry with me, me, 'oor soul. The 1emonE A -e<s
a 1emon yo! know, he5s not a man.
)5,
-e says4 J7 don<t like women. 9ove m!st be re#invented, that<s
"ertain. All the% do is long for se"!rity. +n"e gained, heart and
bea!ty are set aside4 only "old disdain remains, the fodder of
marriage, nowadays. +r else 7 see women, with the marks of
hainess, whom 7 "o!ld have made into fine "omrades, devo!red
from the start by br!tes as sensitive as ostsFK
7 listen to him make infamy of glory, "harm of "r!elty. J7<m of
a distant ra"e4 my forefathers were S"andinavian4 they slashed
their sides, drank their own blood. A 7<ll make "!ts all overH 7<ll
tattoo myself, 7 long to be hideo!s as a 3ongol4 yo!<ll see, 7<ll
s"ream in the streets. 7 want to be mad with rage. @ever show me
gems, 7<d "rawl on the "aret and writhe. 3y treas!re, 7<d like to
be stained all over with blood. 7<ll never workFK +n several
nights, his demon seiGed meH we rolled abo!t, 7 wrestled himE A At
night, often, dr!nk, he lies in wait in the streets or ho!ses, to
frighten me to death. A JThey<ll "!t my throat, tr!lyH it will be
Bdisg!sting<.K +h, those days when he "hooses to stroll abo!t like
a "riminalE
Sometimes he seaks in a kind of tender atois, of death
whi"h brings reentan"e, of the wret"hes who m!st e>ist, of
ainf!l toil, and artings that rend hearts. 7n the hovels where we
!sed to get dr!nk together, he wo!ld wee to see those aro!nd !s,
wret"hed "attle. -e wo!ld hel to their feet the dr!nks in dark
alleys. -e<d a wi"ked mother<s ity for little "hildren. A -e<d go
abo!t with the air of a little girl on the way to her "ate"hism. A -e
feigned all knowledge, of "ommer"e, art, medi"ine. A 7 followed
him, 7 have toE
)52
7 "o!ld see the whole s"ene with whi"h, in his mind, he
s!rro!nded himself4 "lothes, fabri"s, f!rnit!reH 7 lent him
emblems, another fa"e. 7 saw all that to!"hed him, as he wo!ld
have "reated it for himself. 0hen he seemed listless, 7 followed
him, myself, in strange and "omle> deeds, far o!t, for good or ill4
7 was "ertain of never entering his world. -ow many ho!rs of
vigil, beside his dear sleeing body, ?!estioning why he wanted to
evade reality so deelyE @o man every wished for it so. 7 realised
A witho!t fearing for him A that he might well rove a serio!s
danger to so"iety. A -e knows erhas se"rets for transforming
lifeI @o, he only seeks them, 7<d tell myself. Then, his "harity is
bewit"hed, and 7<m its risoner. @o other so!l wo!ld have had the
strength A the strength of desair A to end!re it A to be rote"ted
and loved by himE 'esides, 7 "o!ld never imagine him with some
other so!l4 one sees one<s own Angel, never another<s A 7 think. 7n
his so!l it was as if 7 were in a ala"e, emtied so none as base as
self "an be seen4 that<s it. AlasE 7 deended on him deely. '!t
what did he want with my d!ll "owardly e>isten"eI -e made me
no better, even tho!gh he failed to kill meE Sadly distressed, 7
sometimes said to him4 J7 !nderstand yo!.K -e shr!gged his
sho!lders.
)55
So, my grief endlessly renewed, finding myself even more
bewildered in my own eyes A as in all those eyes that wo!ld have
wished to stare at me, had 7 not been "ondemned to be forgotten
forever by allE A 7 be"ame ever h!ngrier for his kindness. 0ith his
kisses and loving embra"es, it was tr!ly heaven, a sombre heaven,
whi"h 7 entered, and where 7 wo!ld gladly have been left, oorH
deaf, d!mb, blind. 7 was already !sed to it. 7 saw !s as two good
"hildren, free to wander in the 8aradise of sorrow. 0e were well
s!ited. 1eely stirred, we toiled together. '!t, after a enetrating
"aress he wo!ld say4 J-ow odd it will seem to yo!, when 7<m no
more, all yo! have been thro!gh. 0hen yo! no longer have my
arms beneath yo!r ne"kH nor my heart to rest on, nor this mo!th on
yo!r eyes. 'e"a!se 7 m!st go far away, one day. And then, 7 m!st
hel others4 it<s my d!ty. Tho!gh that<s s"ar"ely aealingFdear
so!lFK S!ddenly 7 saw myself, with him vanished, in the gri of
vertigo, h!rled into the most frightf!l darkness4 death. 7 made him
romise never to leave me. -e gave it twenty times, that lover<s
romise. 7t was as frivolo!s as my telling him4 J7 !nderstand.K
Ah, 7 have never been =ealo!s of himE -e will never leave me,
7 think. To do whatI -e knows no oneH he will never work. -e
wants to live like a sleewalker. 0o!ld his goodness and kindness
alone grant him rights in the world of realityI At times, 7 forget the
itif!l state into whi"h 7<ve fallen4 he will make me strong, we
shall travel, we<ll h!nt in the deserts, slee on the avements of
!nknown towns, witho!t "ares or tro!bles. +r 7 will wake, and
laws and "!stoms will have "hanged A thanks to his magi"al
owers A the world, remaining the same, will leave me to my
desiresH =oys, non"halan"e. +h, will yo! grant me the life of
advent!res that e>ists in "hildren<s books, to reay me, 7<ve
s!ffered soI -e "annot. 7 don<t know what<s ideal for him. -e told
me he had regrets, hoes4 they "an<t involve me. 1oes he talk to
6odI 8erhas 7 sho!ld address myself to 6od. 7 am in the deeest
abyss, and no longer know how to ray.
)5&
7f he e>lained his sadness to me, wo!ld 7 !nderstand it any
better than his railleryI -e atta"ks me, sends ho!rs making me
ashamed of all in this world that has the ower to to!"h me,
indignant if 7 wee.
JA :o! see that elegant yo!th, entering that fine and ea"ef!l
ho!se4 he<s "alled 1!val, 1!fo!r, Armand, 3a!ri"e, who knowsI
A woman devoted herself to loving this sitef!l fool4 she diedH
she<s "ertainly a saint in heaven, now. :o!<ll kill me as he killed
her. That<s o!r fate, we "haritable heartsFK Alas, he had days
when all h!man a"tivity seemed to him a laything of grotes?!e
deliri!mH he wo!ld la!gh horribly for ho!rsE A Then, he wo!ld
res!me his ose of a yo!ng mother, a beloved sister. 7f he were
only less savage, we wo!ld be savedE '!t his sweetness too is
deadly. 7 s!bmit to him. A Ah, 7 am madE
+ne day erhas he<ll mira"!lo!sly vanishH b!t 7 m!st know if
he<s to attain some heaven, so 7 may glimse my little friend<s
ass!mtionE<
A strange mNnageE
)5*
Ravings (( 4 "lchem of the #ord
CGne Saison en Hnfer; /lires ::; lchimie du .erbeD
3y t!rn. The history of one of my follies.
$or ages 7 boasted of ossessing all ossible lands"aes, and
fo!nd the "elebrities of modern ainting and oetry abs!rd.
7 loved idioti" i"t!res, fanlights, stage s"enes, mo!ntebanks<
ba"k"loths, inn#signs, o!lar rintsH !nfashionable literat!re,
"h!r"h 9atin, eroti" books with oor selling, novels of
grandmother<s day, fairy tales, little books for "hildren, old oeras,
emty refrains, naOve rhythms.
7 dreamt of "r!sades, !nre"orded voyages of dis"overy,
re!bli"s witho!t histories, wars of s!ressed religion, moral
revol!tions, movements of ra"es and "ontinents4 7 believed in
every en"hantment.
7 invented the "olo!r of vowelsE bla"k, H white, : red, &
bl!e, G green. A 7 reg!lated the form and motion of every
"onsonant, and, with instin"tive rhythms, 7 flattered myself 7<d
"reated a oeti" lang!age, a""essible some day to all the senses. 7
reserved the translation rights.
7t was a"ademi" at first. 7 wrote of silen"es, nights, 7 e>ressed
the ine>ressible. 7 defined vertigos.
)58
R
$ar from the village girls, birds and "attle,
+n my knees, what was 7 drinking, all
S!rro!nded by tender haGel "oses,
7n an afternoon mist, green and warmI
$rom that yo!ng +ise, what "o!ld 7 be drinking,
A 3!te elms, flowerless t!rf, d!ll sky A
$rom yellow go!rds, far from my dear h!t slinkingI
A gold li?!or that yields sweat by and by.
7 made a d!bio!s inn#sign A 0eather
.ame "o!rsing the heavens. At evening
9ost in a virgin sand the wood<s water,
The wind, of 6od, the onds re#i"ing4
A 7 "o!ld not drink4 7 saw gold, weeingE
)5(
R
At fo!r on a s!mmer morning,
The sl!mber of love still lasts.
Lnder the hedge fade fast
S"ents of the night<s feasting.
1own there and already astir
7n the -eseridean s!n,
7n their vast worksho, as one,
7n shirtsleeves A the .arenters.

7n their deserts of foam, tran?!illy,
They reare "ostly anelling
+n whi"h the "ity
0ill da!b its de"eitf!l ainting.
+, for those workmen, "harming
S!b=e"ts of a king of 'abylon,
/en!sE 9eave the lovers sleeing,
0hose so!ls a "rown have on.
+ P!een of the Sheherds
Take strong drink to the workers too,
So their efforts may be deferred
As they wait to bathe in the sea at noon.
)&0
R
8oeti"al ar"haisms layed a key role in my al"hemy of the word.
7 a""!stomed myself to !re hall!"ination4 7 saw ?!ite "learly
a mos?!e instead of a fa"tory, a "ollege of dr!mmers "onsisting of
angels, a salon in the deths of a lakeH monsters, mysteriesH a
va!deville title "on=!red ! terrors before me.
Then 7 e>lained my magi"al sohisms with hall!"inatory
wordsE
7 ended by treating my mental disorder as sa"red. 7 was idle,
rey to a heavy fever4 7 envied the hainess of beasts A
"aterillars4 that reresent 9imbo<s inno"en"e, moles4 the slee of
virginityE
3y "hara"ter was embittered. 7 took my leave of the world in
vario!s ballads4
)&)
S+@6 +$ T-% -76-%ST T+0%R
9et it "ome, let it "ome
The day when hearts love as one.
7<ve been atient so long
7<ve forgotten even
The terror and s!ffering
$lown ! to heaven,
A si"k thirst again
1arkens my veins.
9et it "ome, let it "ome
The day when hearts love as one.
So the meadow
$reed by negle"t,
$lowered, overgrown
0ith weeds and in"ense,
To the b!GG nearby
+f fo!l flies.
9et it "ome, let it "ome
The day when hearts love as one.
7 loved the wilds, s"or"hed or"hardsH faded shos, l!kewarm
drinks. 7 wo!ld drag myself thro!gh stinking alleys, and, eyes
"losed, offer myself to the s!n, god of fire.
J6eneral, if there<s one old "annon left on yo!r r!ined
ramarts, bombard !s with "h!nks of dried earth. $ire on the
windows of slendid storesE 7nto the salonsE 3ake the "ity eats its
own d!st. +>idise the gargoyles. $ill the bo!doirs with b!rning
owdered r!biesFK
+h, the dr!nken gnat in the !b !rinal, in love with borage,
that a ray of light dissolvesE
)&2
-L@6%R
7f 7<ve any taste, it<s for barely
Anything b!t stone and sl!rry.
7 breakfast ever on air,
.oal, iron and the ro"kery.
3y h!ngers, t!rn. -!ngers, browse
The field of so!nd.
S!"k the ga!dy venom
$rom the weedy gro!nd.
%at what<s broken, ebbly,
That old religio!s debrisH
Ro"ks from a ast del!ge,
9oaves sown in grey valleys.
)&,
R
The fo> howled in the leaves
Sitting o!t bright l!mes
$rom his o!ltry feast4
9ike him 7 self#"ons!me.
The fr!its and the veg
0ait only for the i"kersH
'!t the sider in the hedge
%ats violets, no others.
9et me sleeE 9et me simmer
+n the fires of Solomon.
1own the r!st, boiling over,
3ingling there with the Kedron.
At last, + hainess, + reason, 7 l!"ked from the sky the aG!re,
whi"h is of bla"kness, and 7 lived, a golden sark of natural light.
$rom =oy, 7 adoted the most "lownish e>aggerated e>ression
ossible4
)&2
7t<s fo!nd we seeE
0hatI A %ternity.
7t<s the s!n, mingled
0ith the sea.
3y immortal so!l
Kee yo!r vow
1esite emty night
And the day<s glow.
Th!s yo!<ll diverge
$rom the mortal weal
$rom the "ommon !rge,
To fly as yo! feelF
A @o hoe, never,
@o entreaty here.
S"ien"e and atien"e,
Tort!re is real.
@o more tomorrow,
%mbers of satin,
:o!r own ardo!r
The only d!ty.
7t<s fo!nd we see.
A 0hatI A %ternity.
7t<s the s!n, mingled
0ith the sea.
)&5
R
7 be"ame a fab!lo!s oera4 7 saw that all beings are fated for
hainess4 a"tivity is not life, b!t a way of wasting strength, an
enervation. 3orality is a weakness of the brain.
To every being, 7 felt, several other lives seemed d!e. This
gentlemen knows not what he does, he<s an angel. This family is a
a"k of dogs. 'efore several men 7 have soken alo!d in a
moment of their other lives. A Th!s, have 7 loved a ig.
@one of the sohistries of madness A that madness they lo"k
away A were forgotten by me4 7 "o!ld re"ite them all, 7 know the
system.
3y health was threatened. Terror arrived. 7 fell into a sl!mber
for several days, and, waking, "ontin!ed in saddest dream. 7 was
rie for death, and by a erilo!s road my weakness led me to the
"onfines of the world and .immeria, land of shadows and
whirlwinds.
7 was for"ed to travel, to distra"t myself from the
en"hantments thronging my brain. +ver the sea, whi"h 7 loved as
if it were s!re to "leanse me of defilement, 7 saw the "onsoling
"ross arise. 7 had been damned by the rainbow. -ainess was my
fatality, my remorse, my worm4 my life wo!ld forever be too
immense to be devoted to strength and bea!ty.
-ainessE 7ts tooth, sweet !nto death, warned me at
"o"k"row A ad matutinam, at $hristus *enit, A in the darkest "ities4
)&&
+ seasons, + "hatea!>E
0here is the flawless so!lI
The magi" st!dy 7 !rs!ed,
+f hainess, none "an el!de.
A health to it, ea"h time
The 6alli" "o"k makes rhyme.
AhE There<s nothing 7 desire,
7t<s ossessed my life entire.
That "harm has taken heart and so!l
S"attered all my efforts so.
+ seasons, + "hatea!>E
The ho!r of its flight, alasE
0ill be the ho!r 7 ass.
+ seasons, + "hatea!>E
R
That<s all ast. 7 know these days how to greet bea!ty.
)&*
The (mpossible
CGne Saison en Hnfer; L5:m'ossibleD
Ah, that life of my "hildhood, the highway in all weathers,
s!ernat!rally sober, more disinterested than the finest of beggars,
ro!d of having neither "o!ntry nor friends, how foolish it was. A
And only now do 7 realiseE
A 7 was right to desise those fellows who never lose the
"han"e for a "aress, arasites on the "leanliness and health of o!r
women, now they are in s!"h slight a""ord with !s.
7 was wholly right in my disdain4 sin"e 7 am fleeingE
7<m fleeingE
7<ll e>lain.
:esterday, 7 was still sighing4 B-eavenE There are eno!gh of !s
damned down hereE 7<ve already sent too long, myself, amongst
this "rewE 7 know them all. 0e<ll always re"ognise ea"h otherH we
find ea"h other disg!sting. .harity<s !nknown to !s. '!t we<re
oliteH o!r relations with eole are erfe"tly "orre"t.< 7s it
s!rrisingE 8eoleE 3er"hants, foolsE A 0e<re not dishono!red A
'!t the ele"t, how wo!ld they re"eive !sI $or there are
!gna"io!s and =oyo!s folk4 a false ele"t sin"e we need neither
a!da"ity nor h!mility to aroa"h them. They are the sole ele"t.
They never bless othersE
-aving fo!nd two sous of sense again A it<s ?!i"kly sentE A 7
see my ills "ome of not realising soon eno!gh that we are in the
0est. The western swamsE @ot that 7 believe the light altered, the
form e>ten!ated, the movement astrayF0ell, thenE -ere my
mind wants to b!rden itself absol!tely with all the "r!el
develoments the mind has s!ffered sin"e the end of the %astFit
bears a gr!dge my mindE
F3y two sous of sense are sentE A 3ind has a!thority4 it
wants me to be in the 0est. 7t wo!ld have to be silen"ed for me to
end as 7 wish.
)&8
7 "onsigned to the devil the martyrs< alm#leaves, the light of
art, the ride of inventors, the ardo!r of lootersH 7 ret!rned to the
%ast and rimal eternal wisdom A 7t seems that<s a dream of gross
idlenessE
:et 7 hardly dreamt of the leas!re of es"aing from modern
s!ffering. 7<d not the bastard wisdom of the Koran in mind A '!t
is there not tr!e tort!re in the fa"t that, ever sin"e that de"laration
of knowledge .hristianity, man has "heated himself, roved the
obvio!s, swollen with leas!re at reeating the roof, and lived
only like thatE S!btle tort!re, foolishH the so!r"e of my sirit!al
divagations. @at!re "o!ld be bored, erhasE 3onsie!r
8r!dhomme was born with .hrist.
7s it not be"a!se we n!rt!re mistsE 0e eat fever with o!r
watery greens. And the dr!nkennessE And toba""oE And
ignoran"eE And devotionsE A 7sn<t all that far from the tho!ght, the
wisdom of the %ast, the rimeval landI 0hy a modern world, if
they invent s!"h oisonsE
3en of the .h!r"h say4 BLnderstood. '!t yo! really mean
%den. @ot for yo!, the history of eastern eoles. A 7t<s tr!e4 it was
%den 7 dreamt ofE 0hat has that !rity of an"ient ra"es to do with
my dreamE
The hilosohers4 The world has no age. -!manity simly
moves abo!t. :o! are in the 0est, b!t free to inhabit yo!r %ast, as
old as yo! wish it A and live there well. 1on<t be one of the
defeated. 8hilosohers, yo! belong to yo!r 0est.
3y mind, be on yo!r g!ard. @o violent de"isions on salvation.
Stir yo!rselfE A Ah, s"ien"e is not swift eno!gh for !sE
A '!t 7 see my mind is aslee.
7f it were always awake from now on, we wo!ld soon arrive at
tr!th, whi"h erhas s!rro!nds !s with its angels weeingE ... A 7f
it had been awake till now, 7 wo!ld never have yielded to
erni"io!s instin"ts, in an immemorial ageE F 7f it had always
been awake, 7 sho!ld be voyaging f!ll of wisdomE F
+ 8!rityE 8!rityE
7t<s this very moment that has granted me a vision of !rityE A
'y mind one goes to 6odE
-eart#rending misfort!neE
)&(
)ightning
CGne Saison en Hnfer; L5=clairD
-!man labo!rE 7t<s the e>losion that lightens my abyss from time
to time.
B@othing<s in vain4 on to S"ien"e, forwardE< .ries the modern
%""lesiastes, that<s to say The <hole <orld. And yet the "orses of
the wi"ked and idle still fall on the hearts of othersFAhE P!i"k,
?!i"k, a moment4 there, beyond the night, that f!t!re re"omense,
eternalFshall we es"ae themI F
A 0hat "an 7 doI 7 know work4 and S"ien"e is too slow. -ow
rayer gallos and light groansF 7 see that "learly. 7t<s too simle,
and the weather<s too warm4 they<ll do witho!t me. 7<ve my d!ty4
7<ll be ro!d the way others are, in setting it aside.
3y life<s !sed !. 9et<s goE .heat, do nothing, + the ityE And
we<ll e>ist by am!sing o!rselves, dreaming monstro!s loves and
fantasti" !niverses, moaning and ?!arrelling with the world<s
shows, a"robat, beggar, artist, r!ffian A riestE 7n my hosital bed,
the smell of in"ense ret!rned to me so strongly4 g!ardian of the
holy herbs, "onfessor, martyrF
7 re"ognise now my rotten "hildhood ed!"ation. So whatE F
9et me be twenty, if the others are going to be twentyF
@oE @oE @ow 7 rebel against deathE 0ork seems too trivial for
my ride4 my betrayal to the world wo!ld be too brief a torment.
At the last 7<ll atta"k to right and leftF
Then A oh A oor dear so!l, eternity wo!ld not be lost to !sE
)*0
%orning
CGne Saison en Hnfer; MatinD
+n"e !on a time did 7 not have a leasant "hildhood, heroi",
fab!lo!s, to be written on leaves of gold A too fort!nateE $or what
"rime, what error, have 7 merited resent weaknessI :o! who
"laim that the "reat!res sob with grief, that the si"k desair, that
the dead have bad dreams, try to re"o!nt my fall and my sl!mber.
7 "an e>lain myself no better than the beggar with his in"essant
&ur Father5s and Bail Mar%5s. : can s'ea> no more.
:et today 7 think 7<ve finished my tale of hell. 7t was hell, for
"ertainH the an"ient one, whose gates the son of man oened wide.
$rom the same desert, in the same night, always my weary
eyes wake to the star of silver, always, witho!t tro!bling the Kings
of life, the three mages, heart, so!l, and mind. 0hen shall we go
beyond the shores and mo!ntains, to hail the birth of fresh toilH
fresh wisdom, the ro!t of tyrants and demons, the end of
s!erstition, to adore A as new"omers A .hristmas on earthE
The song of the heavens, the mar"h of eolesE Slaves, let !s
not "!rse life.
)*)
Fare0ell
CGne Saison en Hnfer; dieuD
A!t!mn alreadyE A '!t why regret an eternal s!n, if we are
engaged in dis"overing the divine light A far from ra"es that die
with the seasons.
A!t!mn. +!r shi towering in the motionless fog t!rns
towards the ort of overty, the enormo!s "ity with a sky that<s
fle"ked with fire and m!d. AhE The rotting ragsH the bread soaked
with rain, the dr!nkenness, the tho!sand loves that have "r!"ified
meE She<ll never have done then, this gho!lish ?!een of millions
of so!ls and "orses #ho #ill be PudgedE 7 see my skin ravaged
again by m!d and estilen"e, worms filling my hair and my
armits, and bigger worms in my heart, stret"hed o!t among
ageless !nknowns, witho!t feelingF7 might have died thereF
-orrible imaginingE 7 detest overty.
And 7 fear winter be"a!se it<s the season of "omfortE
A Sometimes 7 see limitless bea"hes in the sky "overed by
white nations f!ll of =oy. A great golden vessel, above me, waves
its m!lti"olo!red flags in the morning breeGe. 7<ve "reated all the
feasts, all the tri!mhs, all the dramas. 7<ve tried to invent new
flowersH new stars, new flesh, new lang!ages. 7 believed 7<d
gained s!ernat!ral owers. Ah wellE 7 m!st b!ry my imagination
and my memoriesE Sweet glory as an artist and story#teller swet
awayE
A 7E 7, who "alled myself mag!s or angel, e>emt from all
morality, 7<m ret!rned to the soil, with a task to !rs!e, and
wrinkled reality to embra"eE A easantE
Am 7 wrongI 7s ity the sister of death, for meI
0ell, 7 shall ask forgiveness for no!rishing myself with lies.
9et<s go.
'!t no friendly handE And where to find helI
)*2
R
:es, the resent ho!r is very severe at least.
Sin"e 7 "an say the vi"tory is won4 the gnashing of teeth, the
hissing of flames, the estilential sighs are fading. All the fo!l
memories are vanishing. 3y last regrets flee. A 3y envy of
beggars, brigands, friends of 1eath, all sorts of ba"kward ones. A
1amned ones, if 7 revenged myselfE
7t<s ne"essary to be absol!tely modern.
@o hymns4 hold the yard gained. -arsh nightE The dried blood
smokes on my fa"e, and 7<ve nothing at my ba"k b!t that horrible
st!nted treeE FSirit!al "ombat is as br!tal as the warfare of men4
b!t the vision of =!sti"e is 6od<s delight alone.
Still, now is the eve. 9et !s re"eive every infl!> of strength
and tr!e tenderness. And at dawn, armed with an ardent atien"e,
we<ll enter into the slendid "ities.
0hat did 7 say abo!t a friendly handI +ne real advantage, is
that 7 "an smile at old false loves, and blast those lying "o!les
with shame A 7<ve seen the hell of women down there4 A and it will
be granted me to 'ossess truth in a soul and a bod%.
'ril-ugust, 187+
)*,
E1tract from the 5!oant. )etter
CLettre Q Paul /emen%; $harle*ille, 1@ mai 1871D
BRomanti"ism has never been roerly =!dged. 0ho "o!ld =!dge
itI The .riti"sE The Romanti"sE 0ho rove so "learly that the
singer is so seldom the work, that<s to say the idea s!ng and
intended by the singer.
$or : is another. 7f the brass wakes the tr!met, it<s not its
fa!lt. That<s obvio!s to me4 7 witness the !nfolding of my own
tho!ght4 7 wat"h it, 7 hear it4 7 make a stroke with the bow4 the
symhony begins in the deths, or srings with a bo!nd onto the
stage.
7f the old imbe"iles hadn<t dis"overed only the false
signifi"an"e of Self, we wo!ldn<t have to now swee away those
millions of skeletons whi"h have been iling ! the rod!"ts of
their one#eyed intelle"t sin"e time immemorial, and "laiming
themselves to be their a!thorsE
7n 6ree"e, as 7 say, verse and lyre took rhythm from A"tion.
Afterwards, m!si" and rhyme are a game, a astime. The st!dy of
the ast "harms the "!rio!s4 many of them delight in reviving
these anti?!ities4 A that<s ! to them. The !niversal intelligen"e
has always thrown o!t its ideas nat!rally4 men gathered a art of
these fr!its of the mind4 they a"ted them o!t, they wrote books by
means of them4 so it rogressed, men not working on themselves,
either not being awake, or not yet in the f!llness of the great
dream. .ivil#servants A writers4 a!thorH "reator, oet4 that man has
never e>istedE
)*2
The first st!dy for the man that wants to be a oet is tr!e
"omlete knowledge of himself4 he looks for his so!lH e>amines it,
tests it, learns it. As soon as he knows it, he m!st develo itE That
seems simle4 a nat!ral develoment takes la"e in every brain4 so
many egoists ro"laim themselves a!thors4 there are lenty of
others who attrib!te their intelle"t!al rogress to themselvesE A
'!t the so!l m!st be made monstro!s4 after the fashion of the
com'rachicos, yesE 7magine a man lanting and "!ltivating warts
on his fa"e.
7 say one m!st be a seer C*o%antD, make oneself a seer.
The 8oet makes himself a seer by a long, rational and
immense disordering of all the senses. All forms of love,
s!ffering, madness4 he sear"hes himselfH he "ons!mes all the
oisons in himself, to kee only their ?!intessen"e. Lnseakable
tort!re, where he needs all his faith, every s!erh!man strength,
d!ring whi"h he be"omes the great atient, the great "riminal, the
great a""!rsed A and the s!reme Knower, among menE A 'e"a!se
he arrives at the un>no#nE 'e"a!se he has "!ltivated his so!l,
already ri"h, more than othersE -e arrives at the !nknown, and
when, maddened, he ends ! by losing the knowledge of his
visions4 he has still seen themE 9et him die "harging among those
!n!tterable, !nnameable things4 other fearf!l workers will "ome4
they<ll start from the horiGons where the first have fallenE
FFFFF
)*5
7<ll go on4
So the oet is tr!ly the thief of fire, then.
-e is resonsible for h!manity, even for the animals4 he m!st
make his inventions smelt, felt, heard4 if what he brings ba"k from
do#n there has form, he grants form4 if it<s formless he grants
formlessness. To find a lang!age A for that matter, all words being
ideas, the age of a !niversal lang!age will "omeE 7t is ne"essary to
be an a"ademi" A deader than a fossil A to erfe"t a di"tionary of
any lang!age at all. The weak#minded thin>ing abo!t the first
letter of the alhabet wo!ld soon r!sh into madnessE
This lang!age will be of the so!l for the so!l, "ontaining
everything, s"ents, so!nds, "olo!rs, tho!ght atta"hing to tho!ght
and !lling. The oet wo!ld define the ?!antity of the !nknown,
awakening in the !niversal so!l in his time4 he wo!ld give more
than the form!lation of his tho!ght, the meas!rement of his march
to#ards 'rogressE An enormity be"ome the norm, absorbed by all,
he wo!ld tr!ly be an enhancer of 'rogressE
This f!t!re will be materialisti", yo! see. A Always filled with
@!mber and -armony, these oems will be made to last. A At
heart, it will be a little like 6reek oetry again.
%ternal art will have its f!n"tion, sin"e oets are "itiGens.
8oetry will no longer take its rhythm from a"tion4 it #ill be ahead
of itE
These oets will e>istE 0hen woman<s endless servit!de is
broken, when she lives for and thro!gh herself, when man A
revio!sly abominable A has granted her freedom, she too will be
a oetE 0omen will dis"over the !nknownE 0ill her world of ideas
differ from o!rsI A She will dis"over strange things,
!nfathomableH re!lsive, deli"io!s4 we will take them to !s, we
will !nderstand them.
3eanwhile, let !s demand ne# things from the 'oets # ideas
and forms. All the "lever ones will think they "an easily satisfy
this demand4 that<s not soE F..
)*&

)**