The Bestiary, or Procession of Orpheus

This is as close as I've found to a perfect book of poems. Each idea is short, thoughtful, and often humorously absurd. The translator, Pepe Karmel, lays the French verse underneath the English on each page, which is useful for any bilingual readers. For those who only read English, Karmel's translations beautifully capture Apollinaire's succinctness and wit, and (when possible) his rhymes. One of my favorites: The Dromedary With his four dromedaries Don Pedro D'Alfarubeyra Traveled the world and marveled. He did what I would do, If I had four dromedaries. The book also has gorgeous woodcut illustrations by Raoul Dufy. It's really a gem.

As an art student I am unable to purchase ... books, I was delighted with my purchase of this paperback version of Apollinaire's Parade of Orpheus, I am also thrilled with the translation and quality of the reproduction of Dufy's woodcuts.