“Baudelaire Street” Annotation

Author: Chen Li. He was raised in Taiwan and has published over ten books of poetry. He has received many awards for his work, and is an esteemed representative of contemporary Chinese poetry.

Important Vocabulary: Baudelaire. Charles Baudelaire was a French poet in the nineteenth century. His writing featured themes of sex, lesbianism, death, metamorphosis, depression, urban corruption, and lost innocence, which served to both gain loyal advocates and potential adversaries. Additionally, he produced memorable work as an essayist, art critic, and pioneering translator of Edgar Allan Poe. Pig’s blood cake. Pig’s blood cake is a street food delicacy served on a stick from market stalls in Taiwan

Notable Quotes: “I would ride swiftly past you. I would ride swiftly past my adulthood. And ride back to my childhood. Because I know life is worth less than a line of Baudelaire’s poetry.”

Questions: How have other authors affected the way Li views his routine and surroundings as well?

Initial Reactions: I can appreciate a beautifully and interestingly written work of literature without a full understanding of the entirety of the topic within. I have never been to Taiwan, I do not understand the impact Baudelaire has had there and in Chen Li’s life specifically. However, it was an impactful read in ways I do not entirely comprehend yet.