Cull of April

<p><em>Cull of April</em> (<em>Cueille d?avril</em> in French) is the first book of poetry written by Francis Vielé-Griffin (1864-1937). It was first published in 1885 when Griffin was 21 years old. Griffin was American by birth born in Virginia. As a boy of seven or eight years old he was sent to France to attend school; he remained.</p><p><br></p><p><em>Cull of April</em> is said to show influences of the Decadent school of poetry which was in vogue at the time.</p><p><br></p><p>Here is what Émile Goudeau says about the Decadents in his who?s who of Belle Epoque poets and artists <em>Ten Years a Bohemian</em>: The newcomers rallied around master Verlaine or chief Mallarmé and from there come the <em>Decadents</em> (of which the <em>Deliquescents</em> are nothing but parodists) the <em>Symbolists</em> and the <em>Instrumentalists</em>.... the word <em>decadent</em> implies beyond affectation of style a certain disorder fundamentally a hybrid blend of old religions and refined mores; that was also what the decadents strived for; a particular sadism where Catholic incense is detected in loathsome places and where the sanctuary has foul smells of face powder or even washbasin water.</p><p><br></p><p>Perhaps he was right here?s a line from Euphonies in <em>Cull of April</em> which would seem to corroborate:</p><p><br></p><p><em>I ramble on return from vain lassitudes</em></p><p><em>Have we not dreamt of other beatitudes?</em></p><p><br></p>