Arthur Rimbaud
At 19 years old Arthur Rimbaud, widely regarded as one of the greatest poets and writers of the 19th
Century decided to GIVE UP writing. That’s right: 19 is where he decided to stop. From 20 onward he traveled the world
as a soldier, vagabond and gun-runner. Despite never writing again, Rimbaud basically invented the modernist movement
and influenced three generations of writers, artists and performers. Picasso, Ginsberg and both Morrisons (Van & Jim)
all claim to have been influenced by Rimbaud’s poetry and life. Not bad for a career that started at 16 and lasted 3 years.
