Le Vampire (Les Fleurs du Mal) - Charles Baudelaire

Toi qui, comme un coup de couteau,
Dans mon coeur plaintif es entree,
Toi qui, forte comme un troupeau
De demons, vins, folle et paree,

De mon esprit humilie
Faire ton lit et ton domaine;
-Infame a qui je suis lie
Comme le forcat a la chaine,

Comme au jeu le joueur tetu,
Comme a la bouteille l'ivrogne,
Comme aux vermines la charogne
-Maudite, maudite sois-tu!

J'ai prie le glaive rapide
De conquerir ma liberte,
Et j'ai dit au poison perfide
De secourir ma lachete.

Helas! le poison et le glaive
M'ont pris en dedain et m'ont dit:
"Tu n'es pas digne qu'on t'enleve
A ton esclavage maudit,

Imbecile! - de son empire
Si nos efforts te delivraient,
Tes baisers ressusciteraient
Le cadavre de ton vampire!"


(Translation in English):

You that, like a dagger’s thrust,

Have entered my complaining heart,

You that, stronger than a host

Of demons, came, wild yet prepared;

Within my mind’s humility

You made your bed and your domain;

— Infamous one who’s bound to me

Like any felon by his chain,

Like a gambler by his games,

Like the bottle and the sot,

Like the worms in one’s remains,

— Damn you! Damnation be your lot!

I’ve begged the merciful, swift sword

To overcome my liberty —

To poison I have said the word:

Save me from poltroonery.

Alas the sword! Alas the poison!

Contemptuous, they spoke to me:

"You never can deserve remission

Of your accursed slavery,

Imbecile! — If our deadly empire

Freed you from your present fate,

Your kiss would soon resuscitate

The cold cadaver of your vampire!"

translation source:
http://www.geocities.com/mahtezcatpoc/baudelaire-vampire.html