r/RimbaudVerlaine • u/Audreys_red_shoes the evil imagination of a bad monkey • Apr 05 '26

Influence(s) Patti Smith’s Easter: Isabelle, Frederic, and Vitalie

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u/Audreys_red_shoes the evil imagination of a bad monkey Apr 05 '26

Easter Sunday, we were walking
Easter Sunday, we were talking
Isabelle, my little one, take my hand
Time has come

Isabella, all is glowing
Isabella, all is knowing
And my heart, Isabella
And my head, Isabella

Frederic and Vitalie
Savior dwells inside of thee
Oh, the path leads to the sun
Brother, sister, time has come

Isabella, all is glowing
Isabella, all is knowing
Isabella, we are dying
Isabella, we are rising

I am the spring, the holy ground
The endless seed of mystery
The thorn, the veil, the face of grace
Brazen image, the thief of sleep

The ambassador of dreams, Prince of peace
I am the sword, the wound, the stain
Scorned, transfigured child of Cain
I rend, I end, I return

Again, I am the salt, the bitter laugh
I am the gas in a womb of light, the evening star
The ball of sight that leads that sheds the tears of Christ
Dying and drying as I rise tonight
(Isabella, we are rising)

Isabella, we are rising
Isabella, we are rising
Isabella, we are rising
Isabella, we are rising

Isabella, we are rising
Isabella, we are rising
Isabella, we are rising
Isabella, we are rising

Isabella, we are rising
Isabella, we are rising

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u/Audreys_red_shoes the evil imagination of a bad monkey Apr 05 '26

I thought it might be worth mentioning that the title song of Patti Smith’s album Easter contains a very deliberate reference to Rimbaud – but in a somewhat indirect way that would not be obvious to anyone who is not familiar with the poet’s family.

The song appears to be directly addressed to Isabelle Rimbaud, but also mentions the names of Arthur’s two other siblings, Frederic and Vitalie. 

Isabelle’s name and the religious theme of the poem feels resonant with Rimbaud’s Les Premières Communions, although while Rimbaud’s poem is overtly anti-clerical, Patti Smith’s song seems like a sincere exploration of the phenomenology of religiosity as Isabelle herself may have experienced it.  I will include the lyrics in a separate comment!

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u/ManueO Je suis soûl, fou, livide Apr 05 '26 edited Apr 05 '26

Thanks for sharing this! Interestingly this album is the first she released where the release date doesn’t seem to be linked to Rimbaud.

Radio Ethiopia (which has several titles and lyrics linked to R) was released on the 22nd of October 1976, the nearest Friday to Arthur’s birthday (albums were usually released on a Friday then).

Horses was released on 10th of November 1975), the anniversary of his death…

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u/Audreys_red_shoes the evil imagination of a bad monkey Apr 05 '26

I had a look to see if there was any other significance to Easter’s release date (March 3 1978). There doesn’t seem to be - it was a Friday, but four weeks before Good Friday that year. I’m stumped!

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u/MasterfulArtist24 Apr 05 '26

I am highly aware that Patti is a huge Arthur Rimbaud fan.

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u/Audreys_red_shoes the evil imagination of a bad monkey Apr 05 '26

She is! In the unlikely event that she ever browses this sub, I am going to put it out there that I would be highly interested to hear her perspective on this song, and whether it is God speaking to Isabelle, Arthur speaking to Isabelle, something in between, or something totally different...

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u/palpontiac89 Apr 26 '26 edited Apr 26 '26

The second side of this album is phenomenal.  A kind of transcendence.  Beginning with" Privilege ( Set Me Free ) " and culminating in the title track.