Abel et Caïn

The earth has made a full revolution and now things have changed. N. and I talked about how our lives have evolved since summer past, the summer full of drunken languor and hot smoke. This year it will be different they say, since I will be celebrating life instead of mourning loss. My beautiful one has the aches and pains and watching him suffer makes me sad. Soon he will be better, soon we will be together. My happiness is warm but my closet and basement need to be exorcised. There will be space, time, opportunity. I think it will all work out.

Baudelaire has focused Révolte on Biblical imagery, I suppose it's obvious. The last one made me think a lot about what it was like to be young and strangled with those kinds of heavy thoughts when the mind is not mature enough to handle them. This reminded me of many discussions in Sophomore Seminar where we determined that all denials and betrayals were necessary to bring about a prophesied event. God. Maybe my attempts at profundity are better left alone.

Abel and Cain
I.
Race of Abel, sleep, drink and eat;
God smiles on you complacently.

Race of Cain, in the muck
Crawls and dies miserably.

Race of Abel, your sacrifice
Flatters the nose of the Seraphim!

Race of Cain, your torment
Will it never have an end?

Race of Abel, see your seeds
And your cattle flourish;

Race of Cain, your entrails
Howl with hunger like an old dog.

Race of Abel, warm your belly
At your patriarchal hearth;

Race of Cain, in your den
Tremble with cold, poor jackal!

Race of Abel, love and multiply!
Even your gold has children.

Race of Cain, heart that burns,
Watch out for these great appetites.

Race of Abel, you think and grow
Like the bugs in the woods!

Race of Cain, along the roads
Drag your desperate family.

II.
Ah! Race of Abel, your carcass
Will fertilize the smoking soil!

Race of Cain, your labor
Has not been completed sufficiently;

Race of Abel, here is your disgrace:
The sword is vanquished by the spear!

Race of Cain, climb to the sky,
And hurl God to earth!

Abel et Caïn
I.
Race d'Abel, dors, bois et mange;
Dieu te sourit complaisamment.

Race de Caïn, dans la fange
Rampe et meurs misérablement.

Race d'Abel, ton sacrifice
Flatte le nez du Séraphin!

Race de Caïn, ton supplice
Aura-t-il jamais une fin?

Race d'Abel, vois tes semailles
Et ton bétail venir à bien;

Race de Caïn, tes entrailles
Hurlent la faim comme un vieux chien.

Race d'Abel, chauffe ton ventre
À ton foyer patriarcal;

Race de Caïn, dans ton antre
Tremble de froid, pauvre chacal!

Race d'Abel, aime et pullule!
Ton or fait aussi des petits.

Race de Caïn, coeur qui brûle,
Prends garde à ces grands appétits.

Race d'Abel, tu croîs et broutes
Comme les punaises des bois!

Race de Caïn, sur les routes
Traîne ta famille aux abois.

II.
Ah! race d'Abel, ta charogne
Engraissera le sol fumant!

Race de Caïn, ta besogne
N'est pas faite suffisamment;

Race d'Abel, voici ta honte:
Le fer est vaincu par l'épieu!

Race de Caïn, au ciel monte,
Et sur la terre jette Dieu!
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I want to say that I have worked long and hard and that I deserve to let it all go and do a bunch of stupid things. But none of that is true. I value my semi-mature existence. Maybe?