<html>  <head>  	<meta name="author" content="Cat Nilan> 	<meta name="date" content="08/20/01"> 	 	<title>Baudelaire, "Le Beau Navire"</title>  	<link rel=stylesheet type="text/css" href="baudelaire.css">  </head>  <body>  <div>(<a href="#translation">English Translation</a>)</div>  <blockquote>  <h3>52. Le Beau Navire</h3>  <p>Je veux te raconter, &ocirc; molle enchanteresse! <br />Les diverses beaut&eacute;s qui parent ta jeunesse; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Je veux te peindre ta beaut&eacute;, <br />O&ugrave; l'enfance s'allie &agrave; la maturit&eacute;.</p>  <p>Quand tu vas balayant l'air de ta jupe large, <br />Tu fais l'effet d'un beau vaisseau qui prend le large, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charg&eacute; de toile, et va roulant <br />Suivant un rhythme doux, et paresseux, et lent.</p>  <p>Sur ton cou large et rond, sur tes &eacute;paules grasses, <br />Ta t&ecirc;te se pavane avec d'&eacute;tranges gr&acirc;ces; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; D'un air placide et triomphant <br />Tu passes ton chemin, majestueuse enfant.</p>  <p>Je veux te raconter, &ocirc; molle enchanteresse! <br />Les diverses beaut&eacute;s qui parent ta jeunesse; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Je veux te peindre ta beaut&eacute;, <br />O&ugrave; l'enfance s'allie &agrave; la maturit&eacute;.</p>  <p>Ta gorge qui s'avance et qui pousse la moire, <br />Ta gorge triomphante est une belle armoire <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dont les panneaux bomb&eacute;s et clairs <br />Comme les boucliers accrochent des &eacute;clairs,</p>  <p>Boucliers provoquants, arm&eacute;s de pointes roses! <br />Armoire &agrave; doux secrets, pleine de bonnes choses, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; De vins, de parfums, de liqueurs <br />Qui feraient d&eacute;lirer les cerveaux et les coeurs!</p>  <p>Quand tu vas balayant l'air de ta jupe large, <br />Tu fais l'effet d'un beau vaisseau qui prend le large, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charg&eacute; de toile, et va roulant <br />Suivant un rhythme doux, et paresseux, et lent.</p>  <p>Tes nobles jambes, sous les volants qu'elles chassent, <br />Tourmentent les d&eacute;sirs obscurs et les agacent, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Comme deux sorci&egrave;res qui font <br />Tourner un philtre noir dans un vase profond.</p>  <p>Tes bras, qui se joueraient des pr&eacute;coces hercules, <br />Sont des boas luisants les solides &eacute;mules, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Faits pour serrer obstin&eacute;ment, <br />Comme pour l'imprimer dans ton coeur, ton amant.</p>  <p>Sur ton cou large et rond, sur tes &eacute;paules grasses, <br />Ta t&ecirc;te se pavane avec d'&eacute;tranges gr&acirc;ces; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; D'un air placide et triomphant <br />Tu passes ton chemin, majestueuse enfant.</p>  </blockquote>  <hr />  <blockquote>  <h3><a name="translation"></a>52. The Beautiful Ship</h3>  <p>I wish to describe to you, oh mellow enchantress! <br />The diverse beauties that adorn your youth; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I wish to paint for you your beauty, <br />In which childhood allies itself to maturity.</p>  <p>When you walk, sweeping the air with your full skirt, <br />You are like a beautiful ship taking to the open sea, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rigged out with sails, and you roll along <br />With a sweet, and indolent, and slow rhythm.</p>  <p>On your long, plump neck, on your fleshy shoulders, <br />Your head dances proudly with strange grace; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Placid and triumphant, <br />Your make your way, majestic child.</p>  <p>I wish to describe to you, oh mellow enchantress! <br />The diverse beauties that adorn your youth; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I wish to paint for you your beauty, <br />In which childhood allies itself to maturity.</p>  <p>Your breasts that jut out and press against watered silk, <br />Your triumphant breasts are a beautiful armoire <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Whose curving, bright panels <br />Draw lightning, like two shields,</p>  <p>Provocative shields, armed with rosy tips! <br />Armoire filled with sweet secrets, with wonderful things, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; With wines, perfumes, and liqueurs <br />That would make hearts and minds delirious!</p>  <p>When you walk, sweeping the air with your full skirt, <br />You are like a beautiful ship taking to the open sea, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rigged out with sails, and you roll along <br />With a sweet, and indolent, and slow rhythm.</p>  <p>Your noble legs, pushing aside the sail-like folds of your skirt, <br />Torment and provoke obscure desires, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Like two witches stirring <br />A black potion in a deep vessel.</p>  <p>Your arms, which would make easy work of precocious strong-men, <br />Are the powerful rivals of shining boa constrictors, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Made to obstinately squeeze <br />Your lover, as though to imprint him on your heart.</p>  <p>On your long, plump neck, on your fleshy shoulders, <br />Your head dances proudly with strange grace; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Placid and triumphant, <br />Your make your way, majestic child.</p>  <p><a href="51chat.html">Previous Poem</a> ||  <a href="53invitation.html">Next Poem</a></p>  </blockquote>  <p class="copyright">[Translation by Cat Nilan &copy; 1999]</p>  </body>  </html> 
