Charles Baudelaire's "The Vampire"
by Frank Watson
A French reading: 




Original French
Translation


Charles Baudelaire’s “Le Vampire”
Charles Baudelaire’s “The Vampire”


Toi qui, comme un coup de couteau,
You, like a piercing knife,
Dans mon coeur plaintif es entrée;
Who entered my grieving heart;
Toi qui, forte comme un troupeau
You, strong as a flock of demons,
De démons, vins, folle et parée,
Who came adorned in madness.


De mon esprit humilié
My shameful spirit
Faire ton lit et ton domaine;
Made into your bed and your domain;
— Infâme à qui je suis lié
—Vile woman to whom I am bound
Comme le forçat à la chaîne,
As a convict to a chain,


Comme au jeu le joueur têtu,
As a gambler to his game,
Comme à la bouteille l'ivrogne,
As a drunkard to his drink,
Comme aux vermines la charogne
As a vermin to his carcass,
— Maudite, maudite sois-tu!
—Cursed, cursed—be you!


J'ai prié le glaive rapide
I prayed for the swift sword
De conquérir ma liberté,
To win my freedom,
Et j'ai dit au poison perfide
And asked the treacherous poison
De secourir ma lâcheté.
To save my cowardice.


Hélas! le poison et le glaive
Alas! The sword and poison both
M'ont pris en dédain et m'ont dit:
Have left me disdained and said:
«Tu n'es pas digne qu'on t'enlève
“You’re not fit to be lifted
À ton esclavage maudit,
from accurséd slavery,


Imbécile! — de son empire
Fool! — if our efforts
Si nos efforts te délivraient,
Could free you from her empire,
Tes baisers ressusciteraient
Your kisses would revive
Le cadavre de ton vampire!»
Your vampire’s carcass!”


This is a good reading of a different English translation:

 
All writings and translations are Copyright © by Frank Watson, also writing as "Blue Flute" (2011-2014).
Year: 
2012