Here's a poem by a French Canadian author from the late 19th Century, Émile Nelligan, whose work my godmother introduced me to. The English translation in the book I have is so painful to read, and comes nowhere near to doing the poem justice, that I couldn't bring myself to put it up here and am therefore giving you the original French version.

Clair de lune intellectuel
by Émile Nelligan

Ma pensée est couleur de lumières lointaines,
Du fond de quelque crypte aux vagues profondeurs.
Elle a l'éclat parfois des subtiles verdeurs
D'un golfe où le soleil abaisse ses antennes.

En un jardin sonore, au soupir des fontaines,
Elle a vécu dans les soirs doux, dans les odeurs;
Ma pensée est couleur de lumières lointaines,
Du fond de quelque crypte aux vagues profondeurs.

Elle court à jamais les blanches prétentaines,
Au pays angélique où montent ses ardeurs,
Et, loin de la matiére et des brutes laideurs,
Elle rêve l'essor aux célestes Athénes.

Ma pensée est couleur de lunes d'or lointaines.

Unknown "Cutie but deadly" Serene - 16 years, 9 months, 8 days ago

And a little more Pablo Neruda. This is my favorite poem by him. I made this translation by putting together a few different translations of the poem and looking up a few words in a Spanish-English dictionary. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

Sonnet 17
by Pablo Neruda (English translation)

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
Or the arrows of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
In secret, between the shadow and the soul.
I love as the plant that never blooms
But carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
Thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
Risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
So I love you because I know no other way
Than this: where I do not exist, nor you,
So close that your hand upon my chest is my hand,
So close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

Unknown "Cutie but deadly" Serene - 16 years, 9 months, 8 days ago

Because I love Pablo Neruda's poetry so much, I'm going to inflict show some to you. :)

Youth
by Pablo Neruda (English translation), 1942

An odor like an acid sword made
of plum branches along the road,
the kisses like sugar in the teeth,
the drops of life slipping on the fingertips,
the sweet sexual fruit,
the yards, the haystacks, the inviting
rooms hidden in the deep houses,
the mattresses sleeping in the past, the savage green valley
seen from above, from the hidden window:
adolescence all sputtering and burning
like a lamp turned over in the rain

Unknown "Cutie but deadly" Serene - 16 years, 9 months, 8 days ago

Pastafarianism: The Eight "I'd Really Rather You Didn'ts"

While brooding atop Mount Salsa because he couldn't find a pirate ship, Mosey the Pirate captain received some advice from the Flying Spaghetti Monster in the form of ten stone tablets. These were called the “I’d Really Rather You Didn’ts” by the FSM, the “Commandments” by Mosey, and the “Condiments” by his Pirate gang. While there were originally ten “I’d Really Rather You Didn’ts”, two were dropped on the way back down the mountain, with eight remaining. This event “partly accounts for Pastafarians’ flimsy moral standards”. The FSM’s commandments address the treatment of people of other faiths, worship of the FSM, sexual conduct, and nutrition.


1. I’d really rather you didn’t act like a sanctimonious holier-than-thou ass when describing my noodly goodness. If some people don’t believe in me, that’s okay. Really, I'm not that vain. Besides, this isn’t about them so don’t change the subject.

2. I’d really rather you didn’t use my existence as a means to oppress, subjugate, punish, eviscerate, and/or, you know, be mean to others. I don’t require sacrifices, and purity is for drinking water, not people.

3. I’d really rather you didn’t judge people for the way they look, or how they dress, or the way they talk, or, well, just play nice, Okay? Oh, and get this into your thick heads: woman = person. man = person. Samey = Samey. One is not better than the other, unless we’re talking about fashion and I'm sorry, but I gave that to women and some guys who know the difference between teal and fuchsia.

4. I’d really rather you didn’t indulge in conduct that offends yourself, or your willing, consenting partner of legal age AND mental maturity. As for anyone who might object, I think the expression is go fuck yourself, unless they find that offensive in which case they can turn off the TV for once and go for a walk for a change.

5. I’d really rather you didn’t challenge the bigoted, misogynistic, hateful ideas of others on an empty stomach. Eat, then go after the bitches.

6. I’d really rather you didn’t build multi million-dollar synagogues/churches/temples/mosques/shrines to my noodly goodness when the money could be better spent (take your pick):
A) Ending poverty
B) Curing diseases
C) Living in peace, loving with passion, and lowering the cost of cable
I might be a complex-carbohydrate omniscient being, but I enjoy the simple things in life. I ought to know. I AM the creator.

7. I’d really rather you didn’t go around telling people I talk to you. You’re not that interesting. Get over yourself. And I told you to love your fellow man, can’t you take a hint?

8. I’d really rather you didn’t do unto others as you would have them do unto you if you are into, um, stuff that uses a lot of leather/lubricant/vaseline. If the other person is into it, however (pursuant to #4), then have at it, take pictures, and for the love of Mike, wear a CONDOM! Honestly, it’s a piece of rubber. If I didn’t want it to feel good when you did it I would have added spikes, or something.
Unknown "Cutie but deadly" Serene - 16 years, 9 months, 10 days ago

Was it mean of me to send an e-mail with these pictures in it to one of my friends who shrieks whenever they see any kind of decapod? :D
Unknown "Cutie but deadly" Serene - 16 years, 9 months, 10 days ago