Emancipation Proclamation
“You’re free alone with me,” the tyrant wrote
To Paul when he had made his cowardly
Decision and had fled by pettish boat.
“I, only, offer you your liberty.”
This freedom was la liberté of slaves,
Though. La égalité was not discussed,
Nor brotherhood. Infatuation waives
Away equivalence with blindest, brusk
Dismissal. La fraternité was not
On offer by the younger man. “You stick
With me or live in misery of snot
And tears with others. Do not be so thick!”
..But indecision, Paul’s default non-choice,
….Made Verlaine deaf to Rimbaud’s siren voice.