Beers & Books CCII – Victor Hugo

Between the government which does evil
and the people who accept it
- there is a certain shameful solidarity.
*
The great acts of love are done by those
who are habitually performing small acts of kindness.

Victor Hugo (26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885)

Good reason to write a novel

I condemn slavery, I banish poverty,
I teach the ignorant, I treat
disease, I lighten the night,
I hate hatred.*

Victor Hugo (26 February 1802 - 22 May 1885)

*That is what I am, and that is why I have written Les Misérables.




Related:
More Strong than Time

More Strong than Time

Amongst quite a few other personalities - f.e. Levi Strauss, and Johnny Cash, it's also this gentleman's birthday.

Victor Hugo

To make up for the snowball I once couldn't resist to throw at Monsieur's forehead, ...

Statue in Besancon

here's one of his loveliest poems:

More strong than time

Since I have set my lips to your full cup, my sweet,
Since I my pallid face between your hands have laid,
Since I have known your soul, and all the bloom of it,
And all the perfume rare, now buried in the shade;

Since it was given to me to hear on happy while,
The words wherin your heart spoke all its mysteries,
Since I have seen you weep, and since I have seen you smile,
Your lips upon my lips, and your eyes upon my eyes;

Since I have known above my forehead glance and gleam,
A ray, a single ray, of your star, veiled always,
Since I have felt the fall, upon my lifetime's stream,
Of one rose petal plucked from the roses of your days;

I now am bold to say to the swift changing hours,
Pass, pass upon your way, for I grow never old,
Fleet to the dark abysm with all your fading flowers,
One rose that none will pluck, within my heart I hold.

Your flying wings may smite, but they can never spill
The cup fulfilled of love, from which my lips are wet;
My heart has far more fire than you can frost to chill,
My soul more love than you can make my soul forget.