Charles Baudelaire was one of the most influential French writers of the 19th century. This collection of his poems addresses themes of love, decadence, and death, and includes a selection of his works of poetic prose. Baudelaire's darkly beautiful poetry and lyrical prose never fail to leave a lasting mark on his readers. Controversial and challenging, the outspoken nature of his poems marks him out as a pivotal figure in European literature - a bridge between the Romantics of the past and 20th-century modernism.