He came down to Paris In his seventeenth year High on himself In the numb dead of summer Looking for something Realer than real Richer than riches Louder than thunder When he came to Paris in the rain High on the harvest Of his beautiful brain How beautiful his brain September time Trees full of leaves Slowly turning gold And Arthur free He came down south
High on the train Summoned by the poet Paul Verlaine He slept in the squares Sang in the rain Rapped on doors And knew no shame Carrying lice He changed his name Though the women were disgusted And the men damned his name But the boy was untouchable He came down to Paris Singing je m'appelle voyant (last line translates "I am a seer/ a prophet")