Dead Frenchmen

Arthur Rimbaud

The next Dead Frenchman in our series is Arthur Rimbaud. the symbolist poet participated in Paris Commune of 1870, became a majo influence for both modernists and surrealists, and most importantly for our purposes had a relationship with Paul Verlaine. (Verlaine shot him, not mortally, in a jealous rage once, so don't ever complain about your significant other). Read the post below to see my rage at the Alabama State Legislature and their pig ignorance. Now some people, apparently elected officials among them, feel you should not read the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud, or Paul Verlaine for that matter, because you might catch The Gay. So we're going to try an experiment.

Read this excerpt from the beginning fo his most famous work: A Season in Hell.

Once, if my memory serves me well, my life was a banquet where every heart revealed itself, where every wine flowed.

One evening I took Beauty in my arms - and I thought her bitter - and I insulted her.

I steeled myself against justice.

I fled. O witches, O misery, O hate, my treasure was left in your care !

I have withered within me all human hope. With the silent leap of a sullen beast, I have downed and strangled every joy.

I have called for executioners ; I want to perish chewing on their gun butts. I have called for plagues, to suffocate in sand and blood. Unhappiness has been my god. I have lain down in the mud, and dried myself off in the crime-infested air. I have played the fool to the point of madness.

And springtime brought me the frightful laugh of an idiot.

There. Did you get The Gay? I didn't. In fact, do you care? Yeah, neither do I. So Arthur Rimbaud, Dead Frenchman, to you I say: "Salud!"; or I would if you weren't dead.

P.S.--I don't actually think that the no gay authors bill will pass, even in Alabama, if only because I would lead to drop in university acceptance from Alabama high schools and Alabama would then have to fund their own universities better to stay economically competitive and they sure as hell won't do that. But still, for people in positions of responsibility to even propose this sort of filth makes me both angry and sad, and those--gentle reader--are bad fellings that make we want to SMASH!
Way to go South: doubtless Faulkner would be proud.