The Dazzling Victory of Saarbrücken

Poem by Arthur Rimbaud Collection PoetryThemes WarPeriod 19th century

won amid cries of Long live the Emperor!

In the middle, the Emperor, in an apotheosis
Blue and yellow, goes by, stiff, on his blazing
Hobbyhorse; very happy, – for he sees everything through rose-colored glasses,
Fierce as Zeus and gentle as a papa;

Below, the good Pioupious who were napping
Near the gilded drums and the red cannons,
Get up nicely. Piton puts his jacket back on,
And, turned toward the Chief, dizzies himself with great names!

On the right, Dumanet, leaning on the butt
Of his chassepot, feels his bristly nape quiver,
And: “Long live the Emperor!!!” – His neighbor stays mum…

A shako rises, like a black sun… – In the center,
Boquillon red and blue, very naïve, on his belly
Stands up, and, – presenting his backside –: “What of it?…”

Arthur Rimbaud

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