How much longer ought I remind you that you currently most probably aren't reading the GREATEST poet of all time...

How much longer ought I remind you that you currently most probably aren't reading the GREATEST poet of all time? What's your excuse for not reading Rimbaud? Just read this:

"When a child, certain skies sharpened my vision: all their characters were reflected in my face. The Phenomena were roused. - At present, the eternal inflection of moments and the infinity of mathematics drives me through this world where I meet with every civil honor, respected by strange children and prodigious affections. - I dream of a War of right and of might, of unlooked-for logic.

It is as simple as a musical phrase."

WOW! Joyce and Pynchon, do step aside, please!

Blake is better.

if he's really so great why is your only example of his work an English translation which is ultimately actually written by someone completely different?

probably because relying on anglos to understand the guy's called rambo assumes they will not murder french.
and probably because he's an anglo who's never read rambo, but that's incidental to how wrong you are.

I'm wrong?

*blocks your path*

>which is ultimately actually written by someone completely different?

The >translations meme was never meant to be taken this far

you're right, let's check out some work by the GREATEST playwright of all time, William Shakespeare:

"Demeure ; il faut choisir, et passer à l'instant
De la vie à la mort, ou de l'être au néant.
Dieux cruels ! s'il en est, éclairez mon courage.
Faut-il vieillir courbé sous la main qui m'outrage,
Supporter ou finir mon malheur et mon sort ?
Qui suis-je ? qui m'arrête ? et qu'est-que que la mort ?
C'est la fin de nos maux, c'est mon unique asile ;
Après de longs transports, c'est un sommeil tranquille ;
On s'endort, et tout meurt. Mais un affreux réveil
Doit succéder peut-être aux douceurs du sommeil."

Woah, this is even better than the original

Everything sounds better in French.