Illuminations (poetry collection) Illuminations (poetry collection) Illuminations is an uncompleted suite of prose poems by the French poet Arthur Rimbaud, first published partially in "", a Paris literary review, in May–June 1886. The texts were reprinted in book form in October 1886 by Les publications de La Vogue under the title "Les Illuminations" proposed by the poet Paul Verlaine, Rimbaud's former lover. In his preface, Verlaine explained that the title was based on the English word "illuminations", in the sense of coloured plates, and a sub-title that Rimbaud had already given the work. Verlaine dated its composition between 1873 and 1875. Rimbaud wrote
Paul Verlaine Paul Verlaine Paul-Marie Verlaine (; ; 30 March 1844 – 8 January 1896) was a French poet associated with the Decadent movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the "fin de siècle" in international and French poetry. Born in Metz, Verlaine was educated at the "Lycée Impérial Bonaparte" (now the Lycée Condorcet) in Paris and then took up a post in the civil service. He began writing poetry at an early age, and was initially influenced by the Parnassien movement and its leader, Leconte de Lisle. Verlaine's first published poem was published in 1863 in "La Revue