Be Drunk

　　by Charles Baudelaire

　　Translated by Louis Simpson

　　You have to be always drunk. That's all there is to it——it's the

　　only way. So as not to feel the horrible burden of time that breaks

　　your back and bends you to the earth， you have to be continually

　　drunk.

　　But on what?　Wine， poetry or virtue， as you wish. But be

　　drunk.

　　And if sometimes， on the steps of a palace or the green grass of

　　a ditch， in the mournful solitude of your room， you wake again，

　　drunkenness already diminishing or gone， ask the wind， the wave，

　　the star， the bird， the clock， everything that is flying， everything

　　that is groaning， everything that is rolling， everything that is

　　singing， everything that is speaking. . .ask what time it is and

　　wind， wave， star， bird， clock will answer you：　"It is time to be

　　drunk! So as not to be the martyred slaves of time， be drunk， be

　　continually drunk! On wine， on poetry or on virtue as you wish."