The Yale Anthology of Twentieth-Century French Poetry

Jacques Prévert 1900–1977

neuilly-sur-seine, france

P

révert was immortalized with his first collection of poems, Paroles,

which has been translated many times since its publication. His decep-

tively simple style and lyric treatment of universal themes, along with

the joyous innocence and spontaneous expression of his spirit, quickly won him

many admirers. Although Prévert actively supported left-wing French politics,

he did not allow potentially alienating views to creep into his work. His child-

hood was spent in Paris. After serving in World War I, he returned to the city and

joined the Surrealist movement, which was already well under way. He first

gained recognition as a filmmaker in the 1930s and 1940s, writing scripts for Jean

Renoir (Le Crime de Monsieur Lange) and Marcel Carné (Drôle de drame, Quai

des brumes, Le Jour se lève, Les Visiteurs du soir, Les Enfants du paradis). Principal

works: Paroles, 1945; Histoires, 1946; Spectacle, 1951; La Pluie et le beau temps, 1955;

Arbres, 1976.

Barbara

Barbara remember
The rain was falling all that day on Brest
And you were walking smiling
Radiant full of joy streaming wet
In the rain
Barbara remember
All day the rain fell on Brest
I ran into you in the rue de Siam
You were smiling
And I was smiling too
Barbara remember
I didn’t know you
You didn’t know me
Remember
You should remember that day all the same
Don’t forget
A man was sheltering in a porch
And he called out your name