A Living Tradition

French poetry is not a monument but a conversation—between poets across centuries, between France and its former colonies, between tradition and innovation, between the page and the voice. Hip-hop artists sample Baudelaire. Slam poets channel the troubadours. Contemporary writers respond to medieval forms with postmodern sensibilities.

This book celebrates that ongoing dialogue. We trace how the rigid rules of classical versification gave way to free verse, how the personal became political, how margins moved to center. We explore how French poetry has always been multilingual and multicultural, even when official histories claimed otherwise. From the Arabic influences on troubadour verse to the African rhythms in contemporary spoken word, French poetry has thrived through exchange and hybridity.