The Cask of Hate

Poem by Charles Baudelaire Collection The Flowers of EvilThemes MiscellaneousPeriod 19th century

Hate is the cask of the pale Danaides;
Reckless Vengeance with red and strong arms
May vainly hurl into its empty darkness
Great buckets full of the blood and tears of the dead,

The Demon makes secret holes in these abysses,
Through which would flee a thousand years of sweat and effort,
Even if she could revive her victims,
And resurrect their bodies to squeeze them dry.

Hate is a drunkard at the back of a tavern,
Who always feels thirst born from the liquor
And multiplying like the Hydra of Lerna.

– But happy drinkers know their conqueror,
And Hate is doomed to this lamentable fate
Of never being able to fall asleep under the table.

Charles Baudelaire

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