The Flowers of Evil and Paris Spleen: Poems

Charles Baudelaire

BOA Editions, Limited, 1991 - Poetry - 489 pages

Contents

• Anna Balakian: 13
• THE FLOWERS OF EVIL: 15
• To the Reader: 17
• SPLEEN AND THE IDEAL: 21
• 1 Benediction: 23
• 2 The Albatross: 27
• 3 Elevation: 29
• revel in the nudity of days of old ཊ: 31
• 6 Beacons: 33
• 7 The Ailing Muse: 37
• 9 The Felonious Monk: 39
• II Bad Luck: 41
• 13 Gypsies on the Road: 43
• 15 Don Juan in Hades: 45
• 16 Punishment of Pride: 47
• 18 The Ideal: 49
• 19 The Giantess: 51
• 21 Hymn to Beauty: 53
• 22 Exotic Perfume: 55
• 23 The Chevelure: 57
• worship you as I do worship nighttimes pall: 59
• 26 Sed Non Satiata: 61
• 27 The swaying of her skirts of pearl: 63
• 29 A Carcass: 65
• 30 De Profundis Clamavi: 69
• 31 The Vampire: 71
• 33 Remords posthume: 72
• 33 Posthumous Remorse: 73
• 34 Le Chat: 74
• 34 The Cat: 75
• 36 Le Balcon: 76
• 36 The Balcony: 77
• 37 Le Possédé: 78
• 37 The Possessed: 79
• Le Parfum: 80
• The Perfume: 81
• Le Portrait: 82
• The Portrait: 83
• 40 Semper eadem: 84
• 40 Semper Eadem: 85
• 42 Que dirastu ce soir pauvre âme solitaire: 86
• 42 What will you say tonight poor solitary soul: 87
• 43 Le Flambeau vivant: 88
• 43 The Living Torch: 89
• 45 Confession: 90
• 45 Confession: 91
• 46 LAube spirituelle 94 2 23: 94
• 46 Spiritual Dawn: 95
• 48 Le Flacon: 96
• 48 The Flask: 97
• 49 Le Poison: 98
• 49 The Poison: 99
• 51 Le Chat: 100
• 51 The Cat ΙΟΙ: 101
• 52 Le Beau Navire: 102
• 52 The Beautiful Boat: 103
• 53 LInvitation au voyage: 106
• LInvitation au Voyage: 107
• 54 LIrréparable: 108
• 54 Beyond Repair: 109
• 55 Causerie: 112
• 55 Discourse: 113
• 57 À une madonne: 114
• 57 To a Madonna: 115
• 58 Chanson daprèsmidi: 116
• 58 Afternoon Song: 117
• 59 Sisina: 120
• 59 Sisina: 121
• 61 Moesta et Errabunda: 122
• 61 Moesta et Errabunda: 123
• 62 Le Revenant: 124
• 62 The Ghost: 125
• 64 Tristesses de la lune: 126
• 64 Sorrows of the Moon: 127
• 66 Les Hiboux: 128
• 66 Owls: 129
• 67 La Pipe: 130
• 67 The Pipe: 131
• 69 Sépulture: 132
• 69 Burial: 133
• 71 Le Mort joyeux: 134
• 71 The Grateful Dead: 135
• 73 La Cloche fêlée: 136
• 73 The Cracked Bell: 137
• 75 Spleen Jai plus de souvenirs que si javais mille ans: 138
• 75 Spleen I couldnt hold more memories: 139
• 77 Spleen Quand le ciel bas et lourd pèse comme un couvercle: 140
• 77 Spleen When low and sullen skies: 141
• 78 Obsession: 142
• 78 Obsession: 143
• 80 Alchimie de la douleur: 144
• 80 Alchemy of Grief: 145
• 82 LHéautontimorouménos: 146
• 82 Heauton Timoroumenos: 147
• 83 LIrrémédiable: 148
• 83 The Irremediable: 149
• 84 LHorloge: 150
• 84 The Clock: 151
• TABLEAUX PARISIENS: 154
• PARISIAN SCENES: 155
• 85 Paysage: 156
• 85 Landscape: 157
• 87 À une mendiante rousse: 158
• 87 To a Redheaded Beggar Girl: 159
• 88 Le Cygne: 162
• 88 The Swan: 163
• 89 Les Sept Vieillards: 166
• 89 Seven Old Men: 167
• 90 Les Petites Vieilles: 168
• 90 Little Old Women: 169
• 91 Les Aveugles: 174
• 91 The Blind: 175
• 92 À une passante: 176
• 92 To a Woman Passing By: 177
• 94 Le crépuscule du soir: 178
• 94 Evening Twilight: 179
• 95 Le Jeu: 182
• 95 Gambling: 183
• 96 Danse macabre: 184
• 96 Danse macabre: 185
• 97 LAmour du mensonge: 188
• 97 Love of Illusion: 189
• 98 Je nai pas oublié voisine de la ville: 190
• have not forgot our place not far from town: 191
• 100 Brume et pluies: 192
• 100 Mist and Rain: 193
• 102 Le Crépuscule du matin: 196
• 102 Morning Twilight: 197
• LE VIN: 200
• WINE: 201
• 103 Lâme du vin: 202
• 103 The Soul of Wine: 203
• 105 Le Vin de lassassin: 206
• 105 The Assassins Wine: 207
• 106 Le Vin du solitaire: 208
• 106 Loners Wine: 209
• 107 Le Vin des amants: 210
• 107 Lovers Wine: 211
• FLEURS DU MAL: 212
• FLOWERS OF EVIL: 213
• 108 La Destruction: 214
• 108 Destruction: 215
• 110 Femmes damnées Comme un bétail pensif: 218
• 110 Cursed Women Like ruminating cows: 219
• III Les Deux Bonnes Soeurs: 220
• III Two Good Sisters: 221
• 112 La Fontaine de sang: 222
• 112 Fountain of Blood: 223
• 114 La Béatrice: 224
• 114 Beatrice: 225
• 115 Un voyage à Cythère: 226
• 115 A Voyage to Cythera: 227
• 116 LAmour et le crâne: 230
• 116 Cupid and the Skull: 231
• RÉVOLTE: 232
• REVOLT: 233
• 117 Le Reniement de saint Pierre: 234
• 117 Saint Peters Denial: 235
• 118 Abel et Caïn: 236
• 118 Abel and Cain: 237
• 119 Les Litanies de Satan: 238
• 119 Litanies of Satan: 239
• LA MORT: 244
• DEATH: 245
• 120 La Mort des amants: 246
• 120 The Death of Lovers: 247
• 122 La Mort des artistes: 248
• 122 The Death of Artists: 249
• 124 Le Rêve dun curieux: 250
• 124 The Dream of a Curious Character: 251
• LES ÉPAVES: 262
• WRECKAGE: 263
• 126 Le Coucher du soleil romantique: 264
• 126 Setting of the Romantic Sun: 265
• 128Femmes damnées Delphine et Hippolyte: 268
• 128 Cursed Women Delphine and Hippolyta: 269
• 129Le Léthé: 276
• 129 Lethe: 277
• 130À celle qui est trop gaie: 278
• 130 For Her Who is Too Gay: 279
• 131Les Bijoux: 280
• 131 The Jewels: 281
• 132Les Métamorphoses du vampire: 282
• 132 Metamorphoses of a Vampire: 283
• 133 Le Jet deau: 284
• 133 The Fountain: 285
• 134 Les Yeux de Berthe: 286
• 134 Berthas Eyes: 287
• 135 Hymne: 288
• 135 Hymn: 289
• 137 Le Monstre: 290
• 137 The Monster: 291
• 138 Vers pour le Portrait de M Honoré Daumier: 294
• 138 Verses for the Portrait of Honoré Daumier: 295
• 139 Lola de Valence: 296
• 139 Lola de Valence: 297
• 141 La Voix: 298
• 141 The Voice: 299
• 142 LImprévu: 300
• 142 The Unforeseen: 301
• 143 La Rançon: 302
• 143 The Ransom: 303
• 144 À une Malabaraise: 304
• 144 To a Girl of Malabar: 305
• 145 Sur les débuts dAmina Boschetti: 306
• 145 On the Debut of Amina Boschetti: 307
• 147 Un cabaret folâtre: 310
• 147 A Cheerful Roadhouse: 311
• POÈMES SUPPLÉMENTAIRES: 312
• ADDITIONAL POEMS IN THE THIRD EDITION: 313
• 148 Épigraphe pour un livre condamné: 314
• 148 Epigraph for a Condemned Book: 315
• 150 LExamen de minuit: 316
• 150 SoulSearching at Midnight: 317
• 151 Madrigal triste: 318
• 151 Sad Madrigal: 319
• 152 LAvertisseur: 320
• 152 Warning: 321
• 153 Les Plaintes dun Icare: 322
• 153 The Sorrows of an Icarus: 323
• 155 Bien loin dici: 324
• 155 Far Far from Here: 325
• 157 Recueillement: 326
• 157 Meditation: 327
• 159 La Lune offensée: 328
• 159 The Offended Moon: 329
• 160 À Théodore de Banville: 330
• 160 To Théodore de Banville: 331
• LE SPLEEN DE PARIS: 332
• PARIS SPLEEN: 333
• PETITS POÈMES EN PROSE: 334
• 1 The Stranger: 335
• 4 Un plaisant: 336
• 4 A Wit: 337
• 5 La Chambre double: 338
• 5 The Double Room: 339
• 6 Chacun sa chimère: 340
• 6 Each His Own Chimera: 341
• 7 Le Fou et la Vénus: 342
• 7 The Fool and the Venus: 343
• 8 Le Chien et le flacon: 344
• 8 The Dog and The Perfume Bottle: 345
• 10 À une heure du matin: 348
• 10 One in the Morning: 349
• II La Femme sauvage et la petitemaîtresse: 350
• 11 The Wild Woman and the Little Darling: 351
• 12 Les Foules: 354
• 12 Crowds: 355
• 13 Les Veuves: 356
• 13 Widows: 357
• 14 Le Vieux Saltimbanque: 360
• 14 The Old Entertainer: 361
• 15 Le Gâteau: 362
• 15 Cake: 363
• 16 LHorloge: 366
• 16 The Clock: 367
• 17 Un hémisphère dans une chevelure: 368
• 17 A Hemisphere in Your Hair: 369
• 18 LInvitation au voyage: 370
• 18 LInvitation au Voyage: 371
• 19 Le Joujou du pauvre: 372
• 19 The Poor Kids Toy: 373
• 20 Les Dons des fées: 374
• 20 The Gifts of the Fairies: 375
• 21 Les Tentations ou Éros Plutus et la gloire: 378
• 21 Temptations or Eros Pluto and Fame: 379
• 22 Le Crépuscule du soir: 384
• 22 Evening Twilight: 385
• 23 La Solitude: 386
• 23 Solitude: 387
• 24 Les Projets: 388
• 24 Projects: 389
• 25 La Belle Dorothée: 390
• 25 Beautiful Dorothea: 391
• 26 Les Yeux des pauvres: 392
• 26 The Eyes of the Poor: 393
• 27 Une Mort héroïque: 396
• 27 An Heroic Death: 397
• 28 La Fausse Monnaie: 402
• 28 The Counterfeit Coin: 403
• 29 Le Joueur généreux: 404
• 29 The Generous Gambler: 405
• 30 La Corde: 408
• 30 The Rope: 409
• 31 Les Vocations: 414
• 31 Vocations: 415
• 32 Le Thyrse 420: 422
• 32 The Thyrsus 421: 423
• 35 Les Fenêtres: 424
• 35 Windows: 425
• 36 Le Désir de peindre: 426
• 36 The Desire to Paint: 427
• 37 Les Bienfaits de la lune: 428
• 37 The Moons Beneficence: 429
• 38 Laquelle est la vraie?: 430
• 38 Which Is the Real One?: 431
• 40 Le Miroir: 432
• 40 The Mirror: 433
• 42 Portraits de maîtresses: 434
• 42 Portraits of Mistresses: 435
• 43 Le Galant Tireur: 440
• 43 The Gallant Marksman 44I 44 Soup and Clouds: 441
• 45 Le Tir et le cimetière: 442
• 45 The Rifle Range and the Cemetery: 443
• 46 Perte dauréole: 444
• 46 Lost Halo: 445
• 48 Any Where Out of the World Nimporte où hors du monde: 450
• 48 Any Where Out of the World: 451
• 49 Assommons les pauvres: 452
• 49 Lets Bash the Beggars: 453
• 50 Les Bons Chiens: 456
• 50 Faithful Dogs: 457
• The Flowers of Evil: 463
• Paris Spleen: 483

About the author

Charles Baudelaire, 1821 - 1867 Charles Baudelaire had perhaps had an immeasurable impact on modern poetry. He was born on April 9, 1821, to Joseph-Francois Baudelaire and Caroline Archimbaut Dufays in Paris. He was educated first at a military boarding school and then the College Louis-le-Grand, where he was later expelled in 1839. Baudelaire then began to study law, at the Ecole de Droit in Paris, but devoted most of his time to debauchery. After an abortive trip to the East, he settled in Paris and lived on an inheritance from his much despised step father, while he wrote poetry. During this period he met Jeanne Duval, a mulatto with whom he fell in love with and who became the "Black Venus," the muse behind some of his most powerful erotic verse. Baudelaire strove to portray sensual experiences and moods through complex imagery and classical form, avoiding sentimentality and objective description. Thus he profoundly influenced the later French symbolist writers, including Mallarme and Rimbaud, and such English-language poets as Yeats, Eliot, and Stevens. With much of his inheritance squandered, Baudelaire turned to journalism, especially art and literary criticism, the first of which were "Les Salons". Here he discovered the work of Edgar Allan Poe, which became an influence on his own poetry. While continuing to write unpublished verse, Baudelaire became famous as critic and translator of Poe. This reputation enabled Baudelaire to publish his most famous collection of poetry, "Les Fleurs du Mal" (The Flowers of Evil) in 1857. The result was an obscenity trial and the banning of six of the poems. Though he continued to write journalism with some success, he became increasingly depressed and pessimistic. Baudelaire attempted suicide in 1845, an attempt to get attention, and became minorly involved in the French Revolution. Today Baudelaire's work is considered the "last brilliant summation of romanticism, precursor of symbolism and the first expression of modern techniques". It was his originality that set him apart and ultimately proved to be his end. Baudelaire died, apparently from complications of syphilis, on August 31, 1867, in Paris.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Flowers of Evil and Paris Spleen: Poems; New American translation series
• Author: Charles Baudelaire
• Translated by: William Holmes Crosby
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: BOA Editions, Limited, 1991
• Original from: the University of Michigan
• Digitized: Jul 29, 2010
• ISBN: 0918526868, 9780918526861
• Length: 489 pages
• Subjects: Poetry / European / General; Poetry / General; Poetry / Subjects & Themes / General; Poetry / Subjects & Themes / Love & Erotica; Social Science / Anthropology / General