Charles Baudelaire

A Gay Chophouse

On the road from Brussels to Uccle

A Gay Chophouse - meaning Summary

Death Framed as Menu

This short address satirically teases a reader with a taste for the macabre, likening their appetite to one for exotic condiments. The speaker points out a roadside sign offering a bizarre combination of attractions and refreshments, undercutting romantic horror with mundane commerce. The subtitle situates the scene between Brussels and Uccle, giving it a specific, slightly provincial setting and enhancing the poem's ironic contrast between death and everyday dining.

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You who adore the skeleton And all such horrible devices As so many relishes and spices To tickle the delicate palate on, You old Pharaoh, Monselet, Here's a sign I saw that will surely whet Your appetite for an omelette; It read: "Cemetery View. Estaminet." Translated by - David Paul

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