Parading

Down Sally Cow Lane and Elsewhere

You have to be always drunk. That’s all there is to it—it’s the only way.

So as not to feel the horrible burden of time that breaks your back
So as not to feel the horrible burden of time that breaks your back
So as not to feel the horrible burden of time that breaks your back
and bends you to the earth, you have to be continually drunk.
and bends you to the earth, you have to be continually drunk.
But on what? Wine, poetry or virtue, as you wish. But be drunk.
But on what? Wine, poetry or virtue, as you wish. But be drunk.
And if sometimes, on the steps of a palace or the green grass of
And if sometimes, on the steps of a palace or the green grass of
a ditch, in the mournful solitude of your room, you wake again,
a ditch, in the mournful solitude of your room, you wake again,
drunkenness already diminishing or gone, ask the wind, the wave, —Charles Baudelaire, translated by Louis Simpson
drunkenness already diminishing or gone, ask the wind, the wave,
—Charles Baudelaire, translated by Louis Simpson

atoms

One response to “You have to be always drunk. That’s all there is to it—it’s the only way.”

  1. had to look up the rest of that poem! ” the star, the bird, the clock, everything that is flying, everything that is groaning, everything that is rolling, everything that is singing, everything that is speaking. . .ask what time it is and wind, wave, star, bird, clock will answer you: “It is time to be drunk! So as not to be the martyred slaves of time, be drunk, be continually drunk! On wine, on poetry or on virtue as you wish.”

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Ellie B. Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *