Charles Baudelaire

The Balcony

Mother of memories, mistress of mistresses, O you, all my pleasure, O you, all my duty! You'll remember the sweetness of our caresses, The peace of the fireside, the charm of the evenings. Mother of memories, mistress of mistresses! The evenings lighted by the glow of the coals, The evenings on the balcony, veiled with rose mist; How soft your breast was to me! how kind was your heart! We often said imperishable things, The evenings lighted by the glow of the coals. How splendid the sunsets are on warm evenings! How deep space is! how potent is the heart! In bending over you, queen of adored women, I thought I breathed the perfume in your blood. How splendid the sunsets are on warm evenings! The night was growing dense like an encircling wall, My eyes in the darkness felt the fire of your gaze And I drank in your breath, O sweetness, O poison! And your feet nestled soft in my brotherly hands. The night was growing dense like an encircling wall. I know the art of evoking happy moments, And live again our past, my head laid on your knees, For what's the good of seeking your languid beauty Elsewhere than in your dear body and gentle heart? I know the art of evoking happy moments. Those vows, those perfumes, those infinite kisses, Will they be reborn from a gulf we may not sound, As rejuvenated suns rise in the heavens After being bathed in the depths of deep seas? - O vows! O perfumes! O infinite kisses! Translated by - William Aggeler Le Balcon mother of memories, mistress of mistresses - thou, all my pleasure, thou, my fealties all! thou shalt recall each kiss how soft it is, how warm our hearth, the night how magical, mother of memories, mistress of mistresses! long hours illumined by the glowing fire long balcony-hours veiled with misty rose; soft pillowing breast! heart warm to my desire! and all the imperishable things we whispered, those long hours illumined by the glowing fire how softly shone the golden, shimmering sun! how deep the skyey space! how rich love's power! for bending toward thee, most belovèd one, I seemed to breathe thy pulses like a flower. how softly shone the golden, shimmering sun! Night with her thickening wall imprisoned us, eyes groped for widening eyes the black withheld, I drank thy breath, o sweet, o poisonous! thy feet slept in my hands fraternal held; Night with her thickening wall imprisoned us. my magic art evoked a rapture perished, for in thy clasp I saw my youth afresh, could others yield the languorous charm I cherished, thy gentle heart, thy dear and lovely flesh? my magic art evoked a rapture perished! but - vows and fragrance, infinite desire — shall they arise from gulfs too deep to plumb, as morn by morn new suns of rosier fire mount, laved in some dark sea Elysium? o vows! o fragrance! infinite desire! Translated by - Lewis Piaget Shanks The Balcony Oh, Mother of Memories! Mistress of Mistresses! Oh, thou all my pleasures, oh, thou all my prayers! Can'st thou remember those luscious caresses, The charm of the hearth and the sweet evening airs? Oh, Mother of Memories, Mistress of Mistresses! Those evenings illumed by the glow of the coal, And those roseate nights with their vaporous wings, How calm was thy breast and how good was thy soul, 'Twas then we uttered imperishable things, Those evenings illumed by the glow of the coal. How lovely the suns on those hot, autumn nights! How vast were the heavens! and the heart how hale! As I leaned towards you - oh, my Queen of Delights, The scent of thy blood I seemed to inhale. How lovely the sun on those hot, autumn nights! The shadows of night-time grew dense like a pall, And deep through the darkness thine eyes I divined, And I drank of thy breath - oh sweetness, oh gall, And thy feet in my brotherly hands reclined, The shadows of Night-time grew dense like a pall. I know how to call forth those moments so dear, And to live my Past - laid on thy knees — once more, For where should I seek for thy beauties but here In thy langorous heart and thy body so pure? I know how to call forth those moments so dear. Those perfumes, those infinite kisses and sighs, Are they born in some gulf to our plummets denied? Like rejuvenate suns that mount up to the skies, That first have been cleansed in the depths of the tide; Oh, perfumes! oh, infinite kisses and sighs! Translated by - Cyril Scott The Balcony Mistress of mistresses, mother of memories, O you my every pleasure, you my every duty! You shall recall our blandishments and ecstasies, The warm peace of our hearth, the evening's placid beauty. Mistress of mistresses, mother of memories! Evenings illumined by the glow of coals afire Or on the balcony, veiled in a rosy mist. How soft your breast, how kind your heart to my desire! We said imperishable things the while we kissed, Evenings illumined by the glow of coals afire. How glorious the sunset on warm summer nights! How deep space is! the human heart how competent! As I bent over you, queen of my soul's delight, I thought I breathed your blood with its suave acrid scent. How glorious the sunset on warm summer nights! The night grew dense, forming a wall to compass us, Across the dark your eyes bound mine with golden bands, I drank your breath in deep, O sweet, O poisonous! Your slender feet slept softly in my gentle hands. The night grew dense, forming a wall to compass us. The resurrection of glad moments is an art I know: I live anew, my head pressed to your knees, For where, if not in your loved flesh and tender heart, Can I seek out the wonder of your languidness? The resurrection of glad moments is an art. These vows, these fragrant scents, these kisses without end, Shall they be born again out of infinity? As suns rejuvenated in the skies ascend, Having been laved in the unfathomable sea? - O vows! O fragrant scents! — O kisses without end! Translated by - Jacques LeClercq The Balcony Inspirer of my youth, mistress beyond compare, You who were all my pleasures, all my hopes and dreams! Do you recall our cheerful room - our evenings there, Quiet and passionate? Like yesterday, it seems, Inspirer of my youth, mistress beyond compare! The evenings lighted by the hushed flame of the coal, The warm rose-misted twilights in the early springs, The balcony! How I adored you, body and soul! And, darling, we have said imperishable things The evenings lighted by the hushed flame of the coal. How splendid were the long slow summer sunsets, too! How large the world appeared to us! How strong and good Life ran then in our veins! When I leaned close to you I thought that I could breathe the perfume of your blood. How splendid were the long slow summer sunsets, too! The night would close around us like a dim blue wall, And your eyes flashed within the darkness, and the sweet Drug of your breath came over me. Do you recall How I would love to lie for hours holding your feet? The night would close around us like a dim blue wall. I can relive the ecstasy that Time has slain; At moments I can feel myself between your thighs. What use to hope for anything like that again With someone else? What use to seek in any wise? I can relive the ecstasy that Time has slain. Those cries, those long embraces, that remembered scent: Can they be lost for ever? Will they not come round Like stars, like suns, to blaze upon the firmament Of future worlds, from the abyss we cannot sound? - O cries! O long embraces! O remembered scent! Translated by - George Dillon The Balcony Mother of memories, queen of paramours, Yourself are all my pleasure, all my duty; You will recall caresses that were yours And fireside evenings in their warmth and beauty. Mother of memories, queen of paramours. On eves illumined by the light of coal, The balcony beneath a rose-veiled sky, Your breast how soft! Your heart how good and whole! We spoke eternal things that cannot die - On eves illumined by the light of coal! How splendid sets the sun of a warm evening! How deep is space! the heart how full of power! When, queen of the adored, towards you leaning, I breathed the perfume of your blood in flower. How splendid sets the sun of a warm evening! The evening like an alcove seemed to thicken, And as my eyes astrologised your own, Drinking your breath, I felt sweet poisons quicken, And in my hands your feet slept still as stone. The evening like an alcove seemed to thicken. I know how to resuscitate dead minutes. I see my past, its face hid in your knees. How can I seek your languorous charm save in its Own source, your heart and body formed to please. I know how to resuscitate dead minutes. These vows, these perfumes, and these countless kisses, Reborn from gulfs that we could never sound, Will they, like suns, once bathed in those abysses, Rejuvenated from the deep, rebound - These vows, these perfumes, and these countless kisses? Translated by - Roy Campbell

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