6 stories you didn’t know by Paul Verlaine

The turbulent life of Paul Verlaine, the “prince of poets”, was marked by passions, disagreements and tragedies. Born in France, Verlaine distinguished himself as one of the leading exponents of art symbolist movementbeing recognized for his work and his influence on French literature.

In 1870, Verlaine married Mathilde Mauté with the intention of bringing a quiet, bourgeois life. However, his fate took an unexpected turn when he abandoned his wife and son to embark on a passionate and tumultuous relationship with the young poet Arthur Rimbaud.

This relationship, marked by passion and violence, culminated in a tragic accident where Verlaine wounded Rimbaud with two shots, which led him to make a two years in prison.

During his time in prison, Verlaine found redemption through faith and writing, giving rise to his collection of poems “Romanzas sin Palabras”. After his release, he spent a period teaching French in England, then returned to France, where he devoted himself to teaching English and established a close relationship with Lucien Létinois, who he considered his “adopted son”.

However, his life continued to be tumultuous, marked by scandals and excesses. In 1884 he wrote his famous essay “The Cursed Poets”, in which he explored the curse of the jinn and bohemian life. Despite his efforts to find stability, he was imprisoned again in 1885 for attempting to strangle his mother.

He finally settled in Paris, where he lived his last years amid controversy and literary recognition. He died on January 8, 1896, leaving a literary legacy that endures today.

6 stories by the French Paul Verlaine

1) In the balcony

“On the balcony the friends both observed the flight of the swallows. One pale, her hair black as jet, the other blonde and rosy, her light dress, pale among worn yellow clouds vaguely meandering in the sky.

And the pains you may have are like the swallows that a sky at noon, dear, on a beautiful warm September day“.