Forrest’s Reviews > Flowers of Evil: fleurs du mal in pattern and prose > Status Update

Hmm. "Bawdy" or "Baudey"?

I'm assuming these poems are in the public domain now? I hope so, because I plan on quoting the entirety of "A Voyage to Cythera". I'm thunderstruck by this piece!

"Entombement of a Poet Accursed" is an existential ode cut through with a single black streak of treacle.

"And I Will Come to Thee" is the ultimate goth romance poem. I don't mean "gothic," I mean bauhaus t-shirt wearing, clear the store out of black mascara, everyday watching "Beetlejuice" Goth.

While I'll stop just short of calling Baudelaire a misogynist, I will say that he (or an alter-ego?) had some serious hang-ups with beautiful women who spurned him. Either his pride and vanity was extremely sensitive, or he just didn't form good relationships with the right women.

That said, he expressed his disdain beautifully.

So to her heart she ravens back the spume of her loathing . . .

Wow. Just wow. And there's so much more where that came from.

It's easy to see how so many revered (and reviled) Baudelaire.