Paul VERLAINE – Autographed poem signed, from his collection Sagesse.

Paul Verlaine (1844.1896)

Signed autograph poem – Saint Therese.

One page in-8° No. 1 (Vincennes. June 1887)

On the reverse, a full-page autograph fragment by Verlaine, crossed out.

A magnificent sonnet by the poet, featured in the second edition of his collection Sagesse .

________________________________

Saint Teresa wants Poverty to be
the queen of this world, and literally!
She says few words about this government
and does not dwell on the details moreover;

But the Point, in her view, the one that must be seen
and believed, is this, for which she praises it:
Free will weighs, argues, and negotiates.
Then the poor soul decides and follows its path.

Who will stop him? He has no more wishes
than to one day be among the chosen,
all-powerful servant, all-powerful sovereign.

Prodigal and disdainful of all things he has,
but a hoarder of only things he knows.
What a proud and free subject, what a queen!

________________________________

First published in Le Décadent from July 1st ^to 15th, 1888 under the title Sonnet , the poem would take its place the following year in the second edition of Sagesse (piece XIX). Verlaine wrote at the top: " VIII " and, to the right, " Happiness ".

On the reverse, an autograph page by Verlaine entirely crossed out: Fragment of a play in which Lieutenant Harris, Mr. O'Keene, Tom Burnett… appear. Vicaire VII, 992; Montel, pp. 22-26; Van Bever & Monda, pp. 20-21; Carteret Romantique II, pp. 420-422; Verlaine, Oeuvres poétiques complètes , Pléiade, p. 219.

Mounted on a sheet of paper, revealing the reverse side.