"The Ghost"

THE GHOST

by: Charles Baudelaire

OFTLY as brown-eyed Angels rove

I will return to thy alcove,

And glide upon the night to thee,

Treading the shadows silently.




And I will give to thee, my own,

Kisses as icy as the moon,

And the caresses of a snake

Cold gliding in the thorny brake.




And when returns the livid morn

Thou shalt find all my place forlorn

And chilly, till the falling night.




Others would rule by tenderness

Over thy life and youthfulness,

But I would conquer thee by fright!

[I've just stumbled across the works of Charles Baudelaire. Naturally, like any Lemony Snicket fan, I was instantly intrigued by this poet's name and had to investigate. This is one of my favorites so far. Wow...I really love how this poem tiptoes back and forth across the line between "beautiful" and "haunting". It gives me goosebumps! The first line is probably my most favorite line of poetry EVER.]