“Colloque sentimental”, the memory of oblivion

Verlaine’s “Colloque sentimental” describes a moment of rupture in a park. To what extent is Verlaine using the space of the park to bring him into dialogue with the imaginary world of the promenade? By reversing an erotic topos, the poet reveals his anxiety about the destruction that is engendered by oblivion, whether it affects the passing of time of passion or history. How far can places be the guardians of memory?