O UR BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF POETRY

The word « poetry » originates from the Greek poiein, meaning « fabricate, produce » (Humann, 2014, p. 136), therefore it was once considered as a productive poetic machine by means of words. A particular construction of words is realized in the form of poetry.

La rêverie étymologique invite donc à mettre au premier plan l’idée que le poème est une construction, qu’il est machinerie ou architecture de mots, qu’il joue sur une organisation particulière de la langue⁴⁹ (Vaillant, 2008).

According to its etymology, poiein possesses another meaning, i.e. « create, give birth to

», which refines and elevates its first meaning. Instead of being a mechanic construction, poetry invests substantially in creation. In other languages, we can also find out the equiva-lent of poetry, for example, the German word « Gedicht », close to « dictare » in Latin, mean-ing « dictate, inspire » (Joubert, 1999), these extensions of its original meanmean-ing enlarge its connotations. From the etymology of poetry in history, we could see clearly that it is always associated with the production and creation of words. It is inborn a place to inspire people to reflect on language and to invent their own language in poetry.

Poem and prose poem

Among abundance of relevant researches, two similar terms (poem and poetry) are omnipresent yet not differentiated. Both the two terms came into being in French language from the XIII century (the term « poem » precedes decades before the term « poetry » though), however, went through distinctive developments. The word « poem » referring to

« un ouvrage en vers » (the piece of work in verses) was originally considered as the excel-lence of language (Joubert, 1999).

49 Etymological reverie therefore invites us to put in the foreground the idea that the poem is a construction, that it is a machinery or an architecture of words, that it plays on a particular organization of the language(Translated by DL).

In the classic era, poem was the byname of tragedy until the romantic era when Emi-lie Deschamps looked upon poem as a particular genre in poetic forms: a quasi épopée.

Poetry and poem embraced their first differentiation by the length of the text: the former is shorter while the latter is longer. In terms of connotation, « poetry » retains its double meaning since its entrance into French language from the late XIII century: its particular meaning as « pièce de vers » (piece of verses) and the more general as « art de faire des vers

» (art to make verses) (Joubert, 1999, p. 18).

The XIX century witnessed the main competition between the two terms. According to Vigny, it seems that « poem » is losing its particularity, thus tending to indicate all litter-ary works with poetic inspiration (Joubert, 1999, p. 19). Another term: « proême⁵⁰ », originat-ed from Greek and Latin, was pointoriginat-ed out by Francis Ponge to announce the blending of prose and poem at this time. Poem is thus becoming a polymorph form where every poet « coule à son gré la poésie » (flow at will from poetry) (Joubert, 1999, p. 19). As for the last decades of the XX century, poem was also referred as the moment of an arising experience, the trace of language and the mark of a discontinuity. It even jumps out of language itself to attain other possibilities with linguistic bases, visual images, and other forms (Joubert, 1999, pp. 19-20).

Another similar term -- prose poem came to our sight later, it was only gradually known and practiced … « dans la seconde moitié du XIXsiècle, les poèmes en prose se sont mis à constituer des modèles textuels pour des auteurs, et des horizons d’attente pour leurs lecteurs »⁵¹ (Joubert, 2003, p. 206). However, its connection to poem didn’t boost it to a spreading recognition by people. On the contrary, « il est curieux que ses contemporains n’en aient jamais fait l’objet d’une poétique »⁵² (Sandras, 1995, p. 17). Louis Bertrand has demonstrated its own poetic effects with no stanza or verse in his famous Gaspard de la nuit.

Since then, the diversity of prose poem (polymorph) pushed it to the edge of the generali-zation. Therefore instead of being regarded as an independent genre, it was seen as: « un ensemble de formes littéraires brèves appartenant à un espace de transition dans lequel se

50 Appointed in ancient exordium, the prelude plays the zither to begin a recital or poem in honor of the gods to introduce to the solemnity of the feasts.

51 In the second half of the nineteenth century, poems in prose began to constitute textual models for authors, and horizons of expectation for their readers (Translated by DL).

52 It is curious that his contemporaries have never been the object of a poetic(Translated by DL).

redéfinissent les rapports de la prose et du vers et se forgent d’autres conceptions du poème »⁵³(Sandras, 1995, p. 17). This jumble was soon referred as a form on the decline, therefore being largely criticised at that time.

According to T. Todorov, the prose poem is more appropriate to present a duality, which contrast and opposition serve as the key elements to its poetic charm. Its diversity of form, though predominantly criticised shows exactly how this duality operates, it is « une résolution dans le sens de l’unité ou maintien d’une tension, ou encore exacerbation d’un conflit »⁵⁴ (Sandras, 1995, p. 19). The prose poem, to some extent, tolerates this duality between poetry and prose by performing its transformation.

Le poème en prose, non seulement dans sa forme, mais aussi dans son essence, est fondé sur l’union des contraires: prose et poésie, liberté et ri-gueur, anarchie destructrice et art organisateur […] de là sa contradiction interne, de là ses antinomies profondes, dangereuses – et fécondes; de là sa tension perpétuelle et son dynamisme⁵⁵ (Sandras, 1995, p. 103).

This antagonism, however, doesn’t aim at its homogenisation in prose poem. Instead, the prose poem introduces prose into poetry, not by competing with it, but by subverting it (Bernard, 1959 ). The poetic effect on prose poem not only retains its intensity, but also deepens in its plan of composition and typographic distribution(Sandras, 1995, p. 99) and of course in its correpondent writing part as well. In fact, prose poem obtains its extra même degré que lui56 (Sandras, 1995, p. 95).

53 A whole of brief literary forms belonging to a space of transition in which the relations of prose and verse are redefined and form other conceptions of the poem(Translated by DL).

54 A resolution in the sense of unity or the maintenance of a tension, or the exacerbation of a conflict (Translated by DL).

55 The poem in prose, not only in its form but also in its essence, is founded on the union of opposites: prose and poetry, liberty and rigor, destructive anarchy and organizing art ... hence its internal contradiction, hence its profound, dangerous, and fruitful antinomies; hence its perpetual tension and dynamism(Translated by DL).

56 When prose intends to carry to its utmost the expressive charge of a speech, it knows how to use unprecedented metaphors and especially their speed of transmission. The poem in prose can then compete with the poem in verse without fear of not being received as poetic to the same degree as it is (Translated by DL).

This intensive poetic effect together with its expressive yet explicit writing allows prose poem to create a freer, more open and refreshing window in exchange for its readers without intimidating them by the strictness of poetry. In other words, prose poetry with its unique charm facilitates the entry to poetry for more readers.

The introduction of poem and prose poem demonstrated us the similarities and dif-ferences between the terms that often blended by teachers and pupils in school, especially between poetry and poem. The introduction of other poeticforms such as nursery rhyme, prose poems present us the diversity of poems, which could not only extend children’s knowledge of poetry but also may unclog the obstacles brought by the stereotype of poet-ry being elite above or isolated from other literature. Dating back to their origins also re-vealed the creative and artistic nature of poetry as the excellence of language, foreseen the multiple linguistic invitations from poetry as a literary genre, and disclosed their unique yet hidden weaving with humane characters.

Poetry and reality

Aristotle defined all arts as mimesis. This mimesis, retains its unique tension between language order and artistic performance (Sandras, 1995, p. 99), therefore is more than the simple copy of nature. Horace subsequently transformed this « imitation » to a reconstruc-tion by enlightening the value of creareconstruc-tion.

… L’épopée et le poème tragique, comme aussi la comédie, le dithy-rambe et, pour la plus grande partie, le jeu de la flûte et le jeu de la ci-thare, sont tout d’une manière générale des imitations ⁵⁷ (Aristo-tole, 1447a).

From classical era until the romanticism, poetry was considered as an imitation in a harmonious style, sometimes faithful, sometimes embellished with what Nature, in physical and moral terms, could affect imagination and feeling at the will of poet (Vaillant, 2008, p.

57 The epic and the tragic poem, as also comedy, dithyramb and, for the most part, the play of the flute and the play of the zither, are in general imitations (Translated by DL).

12). This evolvement confirms the vitality of poetry as a literary style that flexibly moves between the inner and the outside world together with imagination and personal feelings.

More profoundly, Rimbaud’s concept of « inconsciousness » has deepened the rela-tion between poetry and reality. « Dictée de la pensée, en l’absence de tout contrôle exercé par la raison, en dehors de toute préoccupation esthétique ou morale »⁵⁸ (Marmontel, 1763, p. 58). Marmontel depicted poetry as a certain type of thinking without the reasonable control, therefore inconscious despite further considerations. From his remarks, we could tell that poetry has gradually transferred from the reflection of reality itself (the imitation) to the connection between reality and human beings (the compromise) and eventually to the perception of human beings. The internalization of poetry reminded us of the reasons why we should stick to the humane nurture to reveal more between poetry and self, poetry and others and their interactions (see more in the coming sessions).

In the meantime, poetry simultaneouly went through a lengthy period of demystifica-tion. Poets were once seen as superior creatures among human beings, who were chosen by God therefore were capable to capture the thoughts, the feelings and the inspirations that ordinary people had no access to reach.

Un don des dieux, ou la manifestation d’un génie surnaturel, ou tout au moins le résultat surprenant de qualités naturelles exceptionnelles, et qui se reconnait à une sorte de chaleur, d’enthousiasme qui transporte le poète dans une espèce d’état second, qui le fait sentir, penser, agir diffé-remment des autres hommes⁵⁹ (Breton, 1962).

With the growing knowledge concerning its relation with reality, our knowledge to-wards poetry has transferred from mystification up to a way of knowing the real in the XIX century (Balpe, 1980). Many poets were then regarded as being capable to discover the imaginative force of our spirit (Vaillant, 2008, p. 15). The creation of poetry consequently relied onthe dialogue among poets, themselves, and the world. Paul Eluard also said that «

58 Dictation of thought, in the absence of any control exercised by reason, apart from any aesthetic or moral preoccupation(Translated by DL).

59 A gift from the gods, or the manifestation of a supernatural genius, or at least the surprising result of exceptional natural qualities… which is recognized by a kind of warmth and enthusiasm, which transports the poet into a sort of second state, which makes it feel, think, act differently from other men (Translated by DL).

j’invente pas les mots. Mais j’invente des objets, des êtres, des évènements et mes sens sont capables de les percevoir »⁶⁰ (Bachelard, 1942). His remarks confirm that poetry has gone beyond itself as a mere composition of words, furthermore, it aims at the perception, the creation, and the construction of oneself.

The gradual demystification echoes the development of relations between poetry and reality. That is to say, poetry has drawn closer to human beings, to self, and to our inner world. Evidences have shown that poetry kept approaching to human beings, or even fur-ther right into their inner world, contributing to a broader and human-oriented definition of poetry. It would open us a new horizon when constructing our definition of poetry.

Our choice of modern poetry

We also need to make clear that our research bases on modern poetry before moving further, the reasons are as below: firstly, modern poetry is regarded as an open poetry, driv-ing against the habitual models or mode. Pupils may benefit from this openness, that is to say, there exist no more master pieces constraint by its importance, its historic role, or its critics, which could possibly block them from learning poetry and loving poetry (Éluard, 1939). In modern poetry, it is easier for children to get access to the linguistic invitations from poetry where they are free to play, to sing, or to manipulate linguistic units; secondly, modern poetry matches our contemporary life in every possible way which tend to reduce the contextual resistance of language learning by offering children a space ample enough of language creation. For pupils from 5 to 8 years old, it is better to turn to modern poetry to remove the language obstacles when initiating reading so that they could be better nur-tured and guided to reflect on language when working with poetry.