The Dandy

“What then is this passion, which, becoming doctrine, has produced such a school of tyrants? what this unofficial institution which has formed so haughty and exclusive a sect? It is first and foremost the burning need to create for oneself a personal originality, bounded only by the limits of the proprieties. It is a kind of cult of the self which can nevertheless survive the pursuit of a happiness to be found in someone else – in woman, for example; which can even survive all that goes by in the name of illusions. It is the joy of astonishing others, and the proud satisfaction of never oneself being astonished. A dandy may be blasé, he may even suffer; but in this case, he will smile like the Spartan boy under the fox’s tooth.” – Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867). 
 
Exquisite lion, 
Incredible corpse, 
Skyscraping credit 
For want of a coin 
 
Behind my grin 
It gnaws inside 
Away away 
 
Paperthin I 
Flutter 

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