“Le Vampire”
by Charles Baudelaire
 
You who, like the stab of a knife,
Entered my plaintive heart;
You who, strong as a herd
Of demons, came, ardent and adorned,
To make your bed and your domain
Of my humiliated mind
– Infamous bitch to whom I’m bound
Like the convict to his chain,
Like the stubborn gambler to the game,
Like the drunkard to his wine,
Like the maggots to the corpse,
– Accurst, accurst be you!
I begged the swift poniard
To gain for me my liberty,
I asked perfidious poison
To give aid to my cowardice.
Alas! both poison and the knife
Contemptuously said to me:
“You do not deserve to be freed
From your accursed slavery,
Fool! – if from her domination
Our efforts could deliver you,
Your kisses would resuscitate
The cadaver of your vampire!”
 
From Lenore to Lamia, we'll be crossing the threshold of blood and entering the night-walk of vampiric poetics! Come prepared to compose until dawn.
 
(Image: Munch, 'Le Vampire')
 
This is an online course. When you choose to buy this course, we will contact you after purchase to arrange a time to begin which suits you. You can choose between annotated responses to your poems sent to you via email, or live discussion via google hangouts (a gmail email is free and easy to sign up for).