Le Printemps des Poètes - 2013

Every year the Lieu Commun at St Céré holds an event for the French National Poetry Fortnight which is called “Le Printemps des Poètes”.  The theme this year was Les Voix du Poème, (the voices of the poem). With such a vague theme there is plenty of scope for different interpretations; including using different voices to read one poem; or reading poems in various languages; or perhaps one person reading a poem in several different voices as each character speaks. Le Lieu Commun opted for the first two of these possibilities.

Fourteen people were asked, or volunteered themselves, to take part on 16^th March and several rehearsals were held in the month before.  Participants chose their own poems, which were subjected to a limited amount of scrutiny by the group for length and suitability. Most of the poems were in French but some were in English, Spanish and Arabic. There was a Spanish song about poetry sung by Jean-Louis and Patrice.

Reading poems outdoors in the Place Mercadial needs to be lively and requires some direction, otherwise the public would quickly lose interest, so Raymonde, who has worked in the theatre, became involved.  She encouraged the performers to engage with the audience, to project their voices and to be expressive.  Her contribution was very effective and allowed the group to achieve such a high standard.

Several texts were split up amongst the performers with each speaking a verse or asking a question. The whole event took about forty minutes.  

Poems were read by, Marie-Ange, Brigitte, Jean-Louis, Joss, Dominique, Quince, Patrice, Pôline, Linda, Ouria, and Albert.  Christine and Agnes organised and paraded the titles before each poem and Quince played short interludes on the piccolo. 

I didn't notice that Albert was missing from the group photo when I took it, so here he is reciting his poem La Pluie (the rain).

Renaud was a very impressive bicycling gendarme who had the role of dispersing these disruptive poets at the end of their performance. 

He continued in character and was effectively moving on the crowd around the refreshments table in the Maison des Consuls afterwards. 

Thanks to Alain and Gilberte for the copious supply of home made cakes.

The Poems

Au bout du monde - Robert Desnos

Ode Maritime -Fernando Pessoa

La voix - Robert Desnos

L'évadé- Boris Vian

Quartier Libre- Jaques Prévert

La Poesia es un arma cargada de futuro - Gabriel Celaya

Haïku - Vent d'avril

Cahier d'un retour au pays natal - Aimé Cesairé

Las de tout ceux - Thomas Tranströmer

Création - Serge Behar

Piedras Antarcticas - Pablo Neruda

Le chat carême - Maurice Carême

La chute de la lune - Mahmoud Darwich

La Poesie ça sert à quoi?

Conversation de l'arbre et du vent - Marie José Christien

Ila Oumi ( Ma mère) - Mahmoud Darwich

La Voix - Charles Baudelaire

La goutte d'eau - Raymond Queneau

Bergeries - Eugène Guillevic