A Former Life / La Vie antérieur Charles Baudelaire Frank Pearce Sturm 1857
A Former Life
Long since, I lived beneath vast porticoes,
By many ocean-sunsets tinged and fired,
Where mighty pillars, in majestic rows,
Seemed like basaltic caves when day expired.
The rolling surge that mirrored all the skies
Mingled its music, turbulent and rich,
Solemn and mystic, with the colours which
The setting sun reflected in my eyes.
And there I lived amid voluptuous calms,
In splendours of blue sky and wandering wave,
Tended by many a naked, perfumed slave,
Who fanned my languid brow with waving palms.
They were my slaves — the only care they had
To know what secret grief had made me sad.
The note on the translation:
| This is a translation and has a separate copyright status from the original text. The license for the translation applies to this edition only. |
| Original: |
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This work published before January 1, 1923 is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago. |
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| Translation: |
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This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1923.
The author died in 1942, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 60 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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