14 Poetic Months in London
and 18 in England
Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem
In morality and talent this Raimbard [sic], aged between 15 and 16 [at the time Paul and Arthur met], was and is a monster. He can construct poems like no one else, but his works are completely incomprehensible and repulsive. Verlaine fell in love with Raimbard, who shared his ardour….
‘We love each other like tigers!’ And, so saying, he bared his chest in front of his wife. It was bruised and tattooed with knife wounds administered by his friend Raimbard. These two creatures were in the habit of fighting and lacerating each other so they could have the pleasure of making up again afterwards.
~ A Parisian police constable named Lombard, writing before the poets went to London, as quoted in Graham Robb’s Rimbaud, 177-178.
When Paris comes in second place in art,
We need to notice. At least the French do.
And so when Arthur Rimbaud, for his part,
Spent far more time in London than the few
Months he infested Paris with his pride
And lice, then someone should take notice. Add
To this the time he lived in England wide
Of London, and, yeah, Britons should be glad
To hail him as their poet, yeah, their own.
He wrote or polished up his verses in
The British Museum with their unknown
Meanings and then kept on scribbling his sin
In King’s Road, Reading, Berkshire, too, and so
The Brits can arrogate him as their beau.