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Guillaume Apollinaire


Abrivado

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My latest cultural find. Dead, of course, but I'm getting used to that. Introduced Cubism to the world, friends included Picasso and Matisse, big influence on Surrealism, fought in WW1, died in the great flu epidemic 1918.

There are many websites about him. Here's one in English:
http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/~os0tmc/apo/aponotes.htm

I'm currently undergoing dramatic vocabulary expansion with Les Onze Mille Verges. Not sure I'll have much opportunity to use it, but I'm a firm believer that no knowledge is ever wasted. Well, that's my excuse

Have to say it's a damn sight more interesting than Molire.







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Abrivado, I am indebted to you. Spent a blissful hour in the library this evening reading "Alcools", a collection of Apollinaire's poems, one of several on the shelves (tho' couldn't see your reference). Was rather surprised to come across "Annie" with the opening "Sur la cote du Texas - Entre Mobile et Galveston", which wasn't quite what I was expecting. But Le Pont Mirabeau certainly was. This particular edition included illustrations by Raoul Dufy with "Le Bestiare". A real delight, thank you for mentioning him.

M

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On a more general note I think French Poetry 1820-1950, a Penguin classic edited by William Rees, ISBN 0-14-042357-5 is an excellent introduction to both major and minor poets from the period, lovely to dip into.
I'm not keen on the Apollinaire I've come across though, perhaps if you have a little moment you could post a favourite bit along with why you like it?
Grateful for the thread as it inspired me to dig out the above book!
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Well this gets my vote as most cultured posting in living memory... here is a little of that festive favourite (?) Les Sapins

Les sapins en bonnets pointus
D longus robes revtus
Comme des astrologues
Saluent leurs frres abattus
Les bateaux qui sur le Rhin voguent

Dans les sept arts endoctrins
Par les vieux sapins leurs ains
Qui sont de grands potes
Ils se savent prdestins
A briller plus que des plantes

..
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