The darling one was naked
And knowing my wish
Ravishes me into ecstasy
I love to madness, the mingling of sounds and light
In one intricacy
Meanwhile under the care of an unseen angel
The child revels in the sun’s bright force
I love the thought of those naked days!
Poor, perfect beauty
A grand river breaks as your tears fall into my anxious heart
I am drunk with your lie
She weeps … mad girl …
Now in the whole world, there’s no horror quite
So cold and cruel as this boundless night
But the grass greenest heavens of childish love
The simple heaven full of stolen joys
You sing the dawn that in my heart is aching
Love which no sun could ever put to flight
The darling one was naked And knowing my wish Ravishes me into ecstasy I love to madness, the mingling of sounds and light In one intricacy Meanwhile under the care of an unseen angel The child revels in the sun’s bright force I love the thought of those naked days!
Poor, perfect beauty A grand river breaks as your tears fall into my anxious heart I am drunk with your lie She weeps … mad girl …
Now in the whole world, there’s no horror quite So cold and cruel as this boundless night But the grass greenest heavens of childish love The simple heaven full of stolen joys You sing the dawn that in my heart is aching Love which no sun could ever put to flight
Baudelaire [paraphrased]