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Baudelaire: The Poems in Prose

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Contains all of Baudelaire's Petits Poemes en prose, which were written over many years and published in magazines between 1855 and his death in 1867.

272 pages, Hardcover

First published October 25, 1989

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About the author

Francis Scarfe

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Profile Image for Abby.
271 reviews3 followers
September 12, 2022
always love prose from Baudelaire!

"There is nothing more profound, more mysterious, more fertile, more gloomy, or more dazzling, than a window lighted by a candle. What we can see in the sunlight is always less interesting than what goes on behind the panes of a window. In that dark or luminous hollow, life lives, life dreams, life suffers."

"It seems to me that I should always be happy if I were somewhere else"

"What use are palaces to me?"

"Dreams, forever dreams! And the more the soul is aspiring and fastidious, the more our dreams outstrip the possible."
Profile Image for Justin Evans.
1,777 reviews1,211 followers
January 24, 2020
Baudelaire's poems don't need me to review them; they're funny, scathing, biting, intelligent, dismaying, wonderful. But I do recommend this edition for anyone who'd like to read them in French, but needs a bit of help every now and then. Scarfe's translations are generally quite straightforward, and the book itself is beautiful. I don't know how to describe it except to say this is the highest quality paper I've ever rubbed between my fingers.
Profile Image for brianna corrine .
24 reviews3 followers
April 7, 2026
really poignant read. Baudelaire has a distint understanding of the poets malady and malaise. the close inspection of individuals thoughts was incredibly gripping, as were the scenes of various relationships. also loves the nature aspects. and structurally/stylistically, this is for sure poetic prose done right. no but read as too long or overly flowery in my opinion.
basically. I just love a depressed poet, and Baudelaire makes the top of my list.
Profile Image for Courtland Bethune.
119 reviews
October 14, 2024
Absolutely stunning!

It was my first time reading his work, and I was immediately blown away.

For me, it's the perfect poetry. And of all the "classic" poets I've read so far, this is the best.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews