"faut que ça fasse encore un peu gueuler"

Autograph letter signed by Paul Verlaine to Anatole Baju, one page in ink on a watermarked leaf. Two small discreet adhesive reinforcements to verso. Published in Correspondance Verlaine, vol. III, CDLIII, p. 26–27.

An important letter by Verlaine, the most Decadent of poets, to the editor-in-chief of the journal Le Décadent, which published many of his poems. The poet announces the forthcoming release of a collection entitled Amis, a provocative allusion to the scandalous sapphic poems he had privately printed in 1867 under the title Amies.

Verlaine had planned to issue in a small edition of this collection which ultimately formed part of his celebrated collection Dédicaces, published in 1890 by the Bibliothèque Artistique et Littéraire. The letter clearly reveals his intention to play on the multiple meanings of these "amis," each of whom would receive a dedication in the volume: “this title must still make people holler a bit—and then the surprise will burst forth, assuming a book of verse can burst forth.” In the postscript, Verlaine writes that he had gone “à la conquête de [m]on ange” [off to win [his] angel"—one cannot help but think of another of Verlaine’s angels, to whom he would pay tribute in two poems from Dédicaces: “Mortel, ange ET démon, autant dire Rimbaud” [Mortal, angel AND demon, might as well say Rimbaud] (LXII).

"My dear Monsieur Baju,

Kindly announce the forthcoming publication (without naming the publisher)

Les Amis – Poems

by Paul Verlaine

It will be entirely composed of warm and cheerful pieces, in the same spirit as those in Parallèlt [Parallèlement] along with a few simple ballads and sonnets—friendly, as the title suggests.

No need to elaborate—“this title must still make people holler a bit—and then the surprise will burst forth, assuming a book of verse can burst forth.” Ah, on Wednesday I truly regretted not being there the day before yesterday when Monsieur Duplessys came—I was at the Bastille, off to win my angel—and I was returning by carriage just as he too was on his way, also by carriage, looking for me. Tell him: see you Wednesday."