Lautrec and the New Girl (rev.) Options

[RC James]

Ah, this time of night,
before the crowds,
it gives the new dancer
space. She is sprightly,
such fluid movements;
I forsee many sketches.

Her face, no other,
until I at least
come close.

“the usual, my dear,
remember to chill the glass
before Gascon pours the absinthe.”

All the promise right there
to move me,
pen in hand,
an introduction,
a schedule
that might please her.

Madame Berthoud’s become stale,
I should cut down there;
a pursuit singulaire,
the beauty of this girl,

Tout a fait.



(orig.)
Ah, this time of night,
before the crowds,
it gives the new dancer
space. She is sprightly,
fluid movements;
I forsee many sketches.

Her face, no other,
until I at least
come close.

“the usual, my dear,
remember to chill the glass
before Gascon pours the absinthe.”

All the promise right there
to move me,
pen in hand,
an introduction,
a schedule
that might please her.

Madame Berthoud’s become stale,
I should cut down there;
A pursuit singulaire,
the beauty of this girl,

Tout a fait.

[Psyche]

Hi RC,

Good poetical sketch of Toulouse Lautrec's thoughts, his excitement at seeing a new pretty girl amongst the dancers. Many schedules foreseen!

I like S3 where he interrupts his musings to order his absinthe. (died of delirium tremens...).

I understand he's contriving to be introduced, approach her somehow, to plan several hours to draw her. Or paint her...I believe he usually made sketches, which sold quite well during his lifetime.

I can't recall any Madame Berthoud, so I'm supposing she's a model he's become tired of. Enlighten me!

You've put yourself in Lautrec's skin, when he's looking forward to his 'pursuit singulaire' of this beauty. He also caught syphillis...ouch!

Psyche aka Syl

[RC James]

Syl - Thanks for your perceptive comments. Madame Berthou's is a made-up name for the typical brothel that TL frequented and where he probably caught the "plague." RC

[Eisa]

Hi Richard,

Great poem! You always seem to be able to look at situations through other people's eyes, which is not always easy. There really is nothing to 'nit' here, but I'll make a few comments.

Ah, this time of night,
before the crowds,
it gives the new dancer
space. She is sprightly,
fluid movements;

This reads a bit as if 'she' is fluid movements. Perhaps

..... She is sprightly,
with fluid movements;

or

....She is sprightly,
fluid in movements;


I forsee many sketches.

Her face, no other,
until I at least
come close.

“the usual, my dear,
remember to chill the glass
before Gascon pours the absinthe.”

All the promise right there
to move me,
pen in hand,
an introduction,
a schedule
that might please her.

Madame Berthoud’s become stale,
I should cut down there;
A pursuit singulaire,
the beauty of this girl,

I'm not sure, but I thought a capital was not needed after a semi-colon only after a full stop.


Madame Berthoud’s become stale,
I should cut down there;
a pursuit singulaire,
the beauty of this girl,
Tout a fait.

Just a few thoughts
Eira

[RC James]

Eira - Thanks for pointing those spots out, I fixed them accordingly, Richard

[Psyche]

RC, I thought MB was fictional. Good.

A favourite poet of mine, Jorge Luis Borges, frequently mixed real and invented characters in his poems or short stories. A teasing tactic!

I think your revision is fine. No more nits. I see you've followed Eira's advice, fixed those parts.

Syl

Syl - Thanks for your perceptive comments. Madame Berthou's is a made-up name for the typical brothel that TL frequented and where he probably caught the "plague." RC

[RC James]

Syl - Borges is one of my favorites also, he not only invented characters but invented whole lives and careers that were fictional for his works. RC

[Psyche]

Glad you enjoy J.L.Borges. He was also a poet. For some reason, people here don't seem to appreciate his poems very much.
I'm fortunate to have an old CD where Borges recites a lot of his own best poems. His voice is slow and a bit trembly, but I love it! When actors recite them for him, they sound too professional.
Wondering whether translations into English are good? Or do you read Spanish?

Nowadays, one can find recitations on Utube...easy!

Syl

Syl - Borges is one of my favorites also, he not only invented characters but invented whole lives and careers that were fictional for his works. RC

[Psyche]

Forgot to mention that Borges had a pretty hard time in Argentina. Democratically elected president Perón removed him from his post at the National Library, made him a 'chicken inspector'...not joking!

Then we had military dictatorships. At some time Borges went off to Geneva with his also unpopular wife. They remained there, where he was buried. In his will he left everything to his wife. His sisters fought this for some years, presumably because Borges had become senile and his will was not valid. They lost!

Various governments tried to bring his body back to Argentina, but also failed because in his will he stated that he wished to be buried over there.

Quite a few famous Argentine people are buried abroad. Only Evita was eventually flown back to be included in her family's pantheon. And the old dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas (who was buried in England).

Tidbits.

Syl