Posts Tagged ‘Enki Bilal’

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I’ve always loved poetry. In my opinion, it is one of the most beautiful way to express what you feel. Poetry is a compromise between sense and musicality. I think it is possible to express very strong feelings because the musicality of the sentences makes the meaning of the words deeper.

My favourite poet is Charles Baudelaire. I know that it is quite easy to mention him as a reference because he is recognized by everybody as one of the most talented French writer but, in fact, I’ve always been fascinated by his character. He is the typical figure of the star-crossed poet, sick and tortured. However, although we can’t wish so much misery in someone’s life, I’m pretty sure his poems would not have been so magnificent if he had led a quiet existence.

Even if you agree with me at this moment, you maybe start wondering why I’m talking about an old dead poet of the 19th century on a blog which is all about ‘now’. In my opinion Charles Baudelaire is actually more ‘now’ than most of nowadays writers. The way he describes feelings and sensations in his poetry is definitely modern. Let’s have an example now with ‘Le Poison’ which is my favourite text by him:

Le vin sait revêtir le plus sordide bouge
D’un luxe miraculeux,
Et fait surgir plus d’un portique fabuleux
Dans l’or de sa vapeur rouge,
Comme un soleil couchant dans un ciel nébuleux.

L’opium agrandit ce qui n’a pas de bornes,
Allonge l’illimité,
Approfondit le temps, creuse la volupté,
Et de plaisirs noirs et mornes
Remplit l’âme au delà de sa capacité.

Tout cela ne vaut pas le poison qui découle
De tes yeux, de tes yeux verts,
Lacs où mon âme tremble et se voit à l’envers…
Mes songes viennent en foule
Pour se désaltérer à ces gouffres amers.

Tout cela ne vaut pas le terrible prodige
De ta salive qui mord,
Qui plonge dans l’oubli mon âme sans remord,
Et, charriant le vertige,
La roule défaillante aux rives de la mort !

I know it is in French but it would be a sacrilege to try and translate Baudelaire in another language because we could not restranscribe the perfect exactitude of the sense and the wonderful musicality of these words. The poem would inevitably lose its essence. So, let me try to explain it: in ‘Le Poison’, Baudelaire is comparing the charms of a woman with wine and opium, such as if she was a drug that brings him to death.

Is there a more actual way to define love as an ‘addiction to someone’?

So in his time, Baudelaire was undeniably modern, presently, Baudelaire is still ‘now’ and, maybe, we could write further and say that Baudelaire is also ‘after’.

Well, you probably think I’m exaggerating… not sure. Have you already heard about Enki Bilal? He is a very gifted cartoonist who created a scenario that takes place in NYC in the future. His comic books were so successful that he made a movie called ‘Immortel Ad Vitam’. Here is the trailer:

As you have surely noticed, this is a futuristic movie. However, there is a very romantic scene where the characters are declaiming ‘Le Poison’. That is definitely prestigious for a 19th century poet to be mentioned in a science-fiction movie.

The last thing I wanted to point out is ‘Beautiful days’, the original song of this movie, is played by Venus. I wanted to highlight this to conclude this post, firstly because it is a really nice song that deserves to be paid listened to. and secondly because it is in coherence with my ideas, it is an association of past and modernity with a perfect mix of violins and electric guitars.

By the way if you want to read more about Venus and Belgian rock don’t hesitate to have a look at Violette’s article from a few weeks ago about Ghinzu, Venus and deUS: here.

Enjoy!

tagged Charles Baudelaire Enki Bilal this is now Venus

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