Viens sur mon coeur, âme cruelle et sourde,
Tigre adoré, monstre aux airs indolents;
Je veux longtemps plonger mes doigts tremblants
Dans l’épaisseur de ta crinière lourde;
Dans tes jupons remplis de ton parfum
Ensevelir ma tête endolorie,
Et respirer, comme une fleur flétrie,
Le doux relent de mon amour défunt.
Je veux dormir! dormir plutôt que vivre!
Dans un sommeil aussi doux que la mort,
J’étalerai mes baisers sans remords
Sur ton beau corps poli comme le cuivre.
Pour engloutir mes sanglots apaisés
Rien ne me vaut l’abîme de ta couche;
L’oubli puissant habite sur ta bouche,
Et le Léthé coule dans tes baisers.
À mon destin, désormais mon délice,
J’obéirai comme un prédestiné;
Martyr docile, innocent condamné,
Dont la ferveur attise le supplice,
Je sucerai, pour noyer ma rancoeur,
Le népenthès et la bonne ciguë
Aux bouts charmants de cette gorge aiguë
Qui n’a jamais emprisonné de coeur.
– – –
Come, lie upon my breast, cruel, insensitive soul,
Adored tigress, monster with the indolent air;
I want to plunge trembling fingers for a long time
In the thickness of your heavy mane,
To bury my head, full of pain
In your skirts redolent of your perfume,
To inhale, as from a withered flower,
The moldy sweetness of my defunct love.
I wish to sleep! to sleep rather than live!
In a slumber doubtful as death,
I shall remorselessly cover with my kisses
Your lovely body polished like copper.
To bury my subdued sobbing
Nothing equals the abyss of your bed,
Potent oblivion dwells upon your lips
And Lethe flows in your kisses.
My fate, hereafter my delight,
I’ll obey like one predestined;
Docile martyr, innocent man condemned,
Whose fervor aggravates the punishment.
I shall suck, to drown my rancor,
Nepenthe and the good hemlock
From the charming tips of those pointed breasts
That have never guarded a heart.
Red musk and sweat-damp golden skin musk with labdanum, golden amber, nutmeg, tobacco absolute, black orchid, and hemlock accord.
mcrivellokhan –
It’s so odd, I was reading the reviews and everyone seems to agree that rose is the heavy hitting note… I can’t smell it at all! In the imp and wet it was a new car smell full stop, like sleek shiny new leather. It’s drying down to more of an aged leather kind of smell, and I can’t say I hate it. It’s an interesting scent that definitely conjures up images of whips for me, and I did get several compliments on it. Although interestingly, only from women? I don’t think a single guy has commented on my perfume when I’m wearing this.
azaenir –
Rose usually goes VERY sour on me but I gave it a chance and this one didn’t! Unfortunately the leather never really came out on me so it’s mostly just a nice rose perfume but I’m not complaining! It’s a very warm rose too, but very potent! If you get it for the first time apply it sparingly!
sfxmkupbyjenna –
This might have replaced Norman’s grandma as my favorite scent from you guys. It smells like a chain smoking granny to me and I absolutely love it! Also, I love the way the scent sort of evolves throughout the day as you wear it.
thecoffeeslayer –
imp/wet: rose, with a very faint whiff of new leather (sniff the grainy/raw side of a new belt for what I mean)
dry: rose, a little green, and the leather develops into the smell of a leather store- it’s fleeting though
later: The rose beats the leather down & it becomes all rose. Then I start getting an itchy nose. I love this scent, but it’s not something I can wear normally. *pouts*
Gloame –
Woahhhh, rose! I’m so iffy about rose. It often goes soapy and smells like dried flowers, very Victorian. This… does smell dry and Victorian. But I’m trying to evaluate it as a rose blend, and in that sense, it’s quite nice. I don’t detect any leather, but I bet that’s what’s making this blend feel more approachable to me than normal rose blends.
Where I’d wear it: On a Steampunk comedy of manners adventure
Elizabeth –
Most of BPAL’s rose oils go powdery one me, but this is really sophisticated and sharp! I feel like an 80’s power woman, strutting down Wall St. in a black leather skirt, too much make up, and ready to put the patriarchy in its place.
psychocygnet –
This is one of the few rose scents that comes out truly rosy on me- usually, I get a sour, overpowering, pickle-like smell. Wet, this is pretty much one big, fragrant red rose. Dry, it’s pretty much the same, although I get a whiff of something warm and almost skin-musky in the background (the leather)? I’m disappointed that this is so wholesome and unsexy on me, but it’s a pretty nice and comforting floral as-is.
Hellokoi –
Big, sour, red rose with a hint of very dry, slightly smoky black leather. There are roses and leathers that I like a lot more.
littletiern –
This is DIVINE. I just received my imp and am kicking myself for not getting the full size as it’s out of stock right now! This reminds me very much of Chloe’s signature scent. I received a sample of it and wore it on a trip to Ireland last year. So needless to say, this scent evokes the lush countryside. I immediately hear the brogue in my head and start dreaming of dreary skies. It reminds me so much of Chloe I thought maybe the blazer I wore yesterday held remnants of the scent, but wore it again today and the same notes float in my memory. Unlike other reviewers, I don’t get the leather in the bottle or on the dry down, which is odd because BPAL leather is usually very strong on me (Ranger and Leather Phoenix both do really well with my skin). Regardless, this scent is a new favorite, as was said by another reviewer maybe not a “daytime” scent, but one as it’s name suggests, for very, very, very special occasions. Please restock asap!!!
kitsch –
The rose comes off as very “red.” Almost wet and kind of juicy? Then on the end comes this dry, warm leather. Really nice. I had not one, but two imps of this lying around from past orders, and never really paid them much mind. Put some on the inside of my wrist one day, felt rather “meh” about it at first, but found myself sniffing my skin throughout the day. Definitely one of those perfumes that grows on you. Starts off as just rose, then becomes much much more.
Margot –
Smells exactly as described. Definitely not a daytime scent but I’ll admit I think I’m going to warm up to it
Dulcie –
So incredibly amazing!! I got my own imps after smelling one belonging to a friend and now I NEED a bottle. Delicious rose with warm leather. Not overpowering, just gorgeous.
dementia_divine –
In the imp: Exactly what it says on the tin: rose and leather.
Wet: More rose than leather, but the leather is definitely present and reads as black leather to my nose. I don’t know how Beth does it, but the rose note really does have a damp quality to it. It actually smells like a damp red rose. I’m not always fond of leather, but I am enjoying this scent thus far.
Dry: The leather is much stronger on the drydown, but the damp red rose note is still the dominant note on my skin.
Verdict: I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I don’t think I need a bottle of it (as I already own a lot of rose scents that I like more than this one), but this is nice.
xaglow –
I will be getting this in the larger bottle! It is a fantastic rose perfume! Dark with the leather and so very feminine. I really like this one when it dries. It’s nice and warm and lasts!
Sara –
Leather and red roses, just like the description says. Devastatingly sexy.