Ars Poetica
Paul Verlaine
Come, let’s restore form to our verses!
Of senseless lines we’ve had enough,
Of lines disorderly and rough!
Law-bound the poet’s universe is.
Let music in our verse be present,
The crystal clarity of springs
And that first freshness thunder brings,
The fragrance that makes woodlands pleasant!
And let our verse fuse well together
Thought, image and sonority.
A glass of old wine they must be –
And not a frothy mug of blether.
Enough of idle words and chatter!
Let’s fall in love with order due,
Clear images and feelings true
And strive to grasp the points that matter!
In simple words let our recital
Be of this complex age we live in,
In wise words warmth and guidance giving!
Verse – to be good – must first be vital!