THE CAPITAL by Albert Giraud translated by Paul Amrod

The enormous capital is a painful fruit.
Its collapses bark and as well it ripens and pulps
the dyeing but plentiful rich rots
green gold, violet, and phosphorous red.

Dropping a thick, sweet and malignant juice
upon its spongy flesh melts under each succulent bite.
His venomous poisons cause the lust to germinate
and delirious sins enter into feverish brains.

Such is his exquisite taste, like his bizarre pepper,
and sweet ginger macerated into a rare elixir.
I plunged my teeth therein with greed.

I ate vertigo and drank madness.
Hence that is why I drag my debilitated body
whence my youth died from an abolishing force.