Baudelaire: His Prose and Poetry

"Baudelaire: His Prose and Poetry" edited by T. R. Smith is a compilation of writings from French poet Charles Baudelaire, assembled in the early 1900s, that showcases his poetry and prose. The works include prose poems and selections from "The Flowers of Evil," capturing messages about beauty, decay, and what it means to be human, positioning Baudelaire as a key literary figure whose style shaped Symbolism and later poets. The book starts with a poem by Algernon Charles Swinburne honoring Baudelaire, touching on themes of grief, artistry, and the difficulties of life, followed by an editor's introduction that highlights Baudelaire's importance and his unique views on art and feelings, which push against traditional ideas of morality and beauty, and also includes prose poems that reveal Baudelaire's sharp observations, looking at love, desire, and the line between what's real and what's not.