In an attempt to rescue poetry, a friend of mine posted the following post on her Facebook account: "This is a game that consists in keeping POETRY alive. "Like" my post and I will assign a poet to you. It makes no difference if you've never heard of his/her work, just google the person and choose the poem that you like the best. Then share it on your Facebook wall".
I quickly clicked the "like" button and was then assigned Charles Baudelaire. The following was by far one of the funniest ones I found. To all my friends and loved one, enjoy (and stay drunk!)
BE DRUNK
You have to be always drunk.
That´s all there is it-- it´s the only way.
You have to be always drunk.
That´s all there is it-- it´s the only way.
So as not to feel the horrible burden of time that breaks your back and bends you to the earth, you have to be continually drunk.
But on what?
Wine, poetry or virtue, as you wish. But be drunk.
And if sometimes, on the steps of a palace or the green grass of a ditch, in the mournful solitude of your room, you awake again, drunkenness already diminishing or gone, ask the wind, the wave, the star, the bird, the clock, everything that is flying, everything that is groaning, everything that is rolling, everything that is singing, everything that is speaking... ask what time it is and wind, wave, star, bird, clock will answer you:
And if sometimes, on the steps of a palace or the green grass of a ditch, in the mournful solitude of your room, you awake again, drunkenness already diminishing or gone, ask the wind, the wave, the star, the bird, the clock, everything that is flying, everything that is groaning, everything that is rolling, everything that is singing, everything that is speaking... ask what time it is and wind, wave, star, bird, clock will answer you:
"It is time to be drunk! So as not to be the martyred slaves of time, be drunk, be continually drunk! On wine, on poetry or on virtue as you wish".
By: Charles Baudelaire
Translated by: Louis Simpson
Translated by: Louis Simpson
