Charles baudelaire albatros

Scarce have these birds been set upon the poop, Than, awkward now, they, the sky's emperors, Piteous and shamed, let their great white wings droop Beside them like a pair of idle oars. Once noble, now how ludicrous to view! One sailor bums them with his pipe, his mate Limps, mimicking these cripples who once flew. Poets are like these lords of sky and cloud, Who ride the storm and mock the bow's taut strings, Exiled on earth amid a jeering crowd, Prisoned and palsied by their giant wings.

Translated by - Jacques LeClercq The Albatross Sometimes, to entertain themselves, the men of the crew Lure upon deck an unlucky albatross, one of those vast Birds of the sea that follow unwearied the voyage through, Flying in slow and elegant circles above the mast. No sooner have they disentangled him from their nets Than this aerial colossus, shorn of his pride, Goes hobbling pitiably across the planks and lets His great wings hang like heavy, useless oars at his side.

How charles baudelaire albatros is the poor floundering creature, how limp and weak - He, but a moment past so lordly, flying in state! They tease him: One of them tries to stick a pipe in his beak; Another mimics with laughter his odd lurching gait. The Poet is like that wild inheritor of the cloud, A rider of storms, above the range of arrows and slings; Exiled on earth, at bay amid the jeering crowd, He cannot walk for his unmanageable wings.

Translated by - George Dillon The Albatross Sometimes for sport the men of loafing crews Snare the great albatrosses of the deep, The indolent companions of their cruise As through the bitter vastitudes they sweep. Notify me of new comments via email. Cancel Report. Create a new account. Log In. Select another language:. Powered by CITE.

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Our awesome collection of Promoted Poems ». Reality Writ Of Dreaming. The Year of the Snake. Collapsing Empire. Gone but not forgotten. The Calming Storm. Stand Up. Browse Poetry. Quiz Are you a poetry master? A B This winged voyager, how awkward and weak he is! He, once so beautiful, he's so funny and ugly! One teases his beak with a pipestem, Another mimes, limping, the cripple that once flew!

The Poet is like this prince of the clouds Who haunts the tempest and laughs at the archer; Exiled on the ground, in the midst of jeers, His giant wings keep him from walking.

Charles baudelaire albatros

Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikidata item. Poem by Charles Baudelaire. You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French. June Click [show] for important translation instructions.