Why Read Poetry? Why Read It in French?

Poetry resists the utilitarian demands of our age. It slows us down, makes us pay attention to language, and reveals meanings that prose might miss. French poetry, with its particular music and traditions, offers unique pleasures and insights. The alexandrine line creates rhythms impossible in English. The French language's gendered nouns open metaphorical possibilities unavailable in other tongues. The tradition of "engagement"—politically committed writing—has produced verses that have literally changed history.

But you don't need perfect French to appreciate these poems. This book provides original texts alongside translations and explanations, allowing readers at all levels to engage with the work. We believe that even struggling through a poem in the original, dictionary in hand, can reveal dimensions that the best translation might miss. At the same time, we've commissioned new translations that capture not just meaning but music, honoring both languages.