Baudelaire for Dummies

Hypocrite lecteur,—mon semblable,—mon frère!

Fooled by this hapless effort
Passing itself off as a poem?

A wretch like you wrote it.

Suspension of Disbelief

As long as the clouds remain

Suspended, one must have
A mind—not that kind—
Of a lunatic, not to think

The moon is unmoving,
And be moved in turn
By the mind that does.

Dedication

Well, here’s to that

Spunky little green stink
Bug that just upped

And clinked down dead on my laptop,
Kayoed by the treacherous light,

With me in blind pursuit
Of one more sweet-smelling,

Charming moving deathless line—
Oh dear lifeless little bugger, thanks

For taking the time,
For stopping me short

But not quite smack in time,
Sorry for this too,

Too precious rhyme.

Pearls of Wisdom

Here by the water’s edge,
Listening to what the sea brings,

I know deep down
Even a grain of sand sings

Wondrous things.

Definitive Edition

definitions leave

wavering minds

motion less