My wisdom is as spurned as chaos. What is my nothingness, compared to the amazement that awaits you?

I enjoyed this much more than I was expecting, though I'm not sure how much of this was due to the translation. I had not been as taken with my previous encounters with Rimbaud, but this collection sets a mood and revels in it quite nicely. ( )

Illuminaatioita on maailmanhistorian suurimpana runoilijana pidetyn Arthur Rimbaud’n (1854–1891) toinen hänen elinaikanaan julkaistu runokirja. Kirja ilmestyi ensimmäisen kerran vuonna 1886 La Vogue -lehdessä, kirjanakin samana vuonna. Kirjan kokosi hänen runoilijaystävänsä Paul Verlaine. Verlaine myös keksi nimen Illuminations, englannin kielen painted plates, värikuvat, käsitteen pohjalta. Kirjan julkaisun aikoihin Rimbaud oli jo kauan sitten jättänyt runopiirit taakseen. Runous ei enää kiinnostanut häntä. Seikkailujen jälkeen hän oli päätynyt asekauppiaaksi Afrikkaan. Einari Aaltosen oivasti suomentamien runojen ohella teoksessa on ranskankieliset Rimbaud’n alkuperäisrunot. (Sammakko)

Départ dans l'affection et le bruit neufs! En effet les nerfs vont vite chasser. ( )

First off, it's insane, while you're reading this, to realize this was written by a twenty year old. More if you think this was just about when he gave up on writing.

I'm not sure how far the premise holds that nearly everything in Illuminations is about drug or drink induced experiences. A lot almost certainly came from it, but reading the notes I couldn't always find agreement with that idea. In my opinion, this would take away from Rimbaud's talent instead of add to the impossible grandness of it. But heck, I'm far from a Rimbaud scholar.

The translator here is, of course, and while the cadence and tone of the original French has no comparison, the translations are brilliant. You could read these as if they were originals and they would still be breathtaking.

To be fair, I had to race through this a bit and skip most of the notes and introductions. Still, this was overwhelming and while I have to come back to this, I'm not sure I'd be able to very soon. Rimbaud gives a lot but demands a lot. My reserves for beauty are somewhat filled up right now. ( )

Rimbaud's classic suite of evocative prose poems is powerfully rendered by John Ashbery in this new translation, printed alongside the French original. Ashbery's diction is mellifluous and never forced, faithfully adhering to the spirit (and much of the letter) of Rimbaud's French. But most of the credit here is due to Rimbaud, of course, whose perceptive eye and expansive mind make Illuminations shine in whatever rendition. The whole collection is worth reading, but "Being Beauteous" and "Genie" were two of my personal highlights. ( )