Charles Baudelaire "Le Vampire" lyrics

Le Vampire

Toi qui, comme un coup de couteau,Dans mon coeur plaintif es entrée;Toi qui, forte comme un troupeauDe démons, vins, folle et parée,

De mon esprit humiliéFaire ton lit et ton domaine;— Infâme à qui je suis liéComme le forçat à la chaîne,

Comme au jeu le joueur têtu,Comme à la bouteille l'ivrogne,Comme aux vermines la charogne— Maudite, maudite sois-tu!

J'ai prié le glaive rapideDe conquérir ma liberté,Et j'ai dit au poison perfideDe secourir ma lâcheté.

Hélas! le poison et le glaiveM'ont pris en dédain et m'ont dit:«Tu n'es pas digne qu'on t'enlèveÀ ton esclavage maudit,

Imbécile! — de son empireSi nos efforts te délivraient,Tes baisers ressusciteraientLe cadavre de ton vampire!»

The Vampire

You, who like a dagger ploughedInto my heart with deadly thrill:You who, stronger than a crowdOf demons, mad, and dressed to kill,

Of my dejected soul have madeYour bed, your lodging, and domain:To whom I'm linked (Unseemly jade!)As is a convict to his chain,

Or as the gamester to his dice,Or as the drunkard to his dram,Or as the carrion to its lice —I curse you. Would my curse could damn!

I have besought the sudden bladeTo win for me my freedom back.Perfidious poison I have prayedTo help my cowardice. Alack!

Both poison and the sword disdainedMy cowardice, and seemed to say"You are not fit to be unchainedFrom your damned servitude. Away,

You imbecile! since if from her empireWe were to liberate the slave,You'd raise the carrion of your vampire,By your own kisses, from the grave."

Here one can find the English lyrics of the song Le Vampire by Charles Baudelaire. Or Le Vampire poem lyrics. Charles Baudelaire Le Vampire text in English. This page also contains a translation, and Le Vampire meaning.