The Yale Anthology of Twentieth-Century French Poetry

Léon-Gontran Damas 1912–1978

guyana

O

ne of the three founders of the négritude movement of black intellec-

tuals and writers, Damas was more interested in valorizing his Afri-

can heritage than in bringing about reconciliation with the West. He

moved to Paris in 1929 to pursue studies in Russian and Japanese but soon

changed to law and letters. While in Paris, he met the other two future coleaders

of négritude, Aimé Césaire and Léopold Sédar Senghor, who also collaborated

with him on the review L’Étudiant noir (1935). Damas then began publishing his

poems and political works. His pamphlet Retour de Guyane was judged subver-

sive by the Guyanese government and burned. This censure, however, did not

prevent him from later being elected a deputy in Guyana’s National Assembly.

Principal works: L’Étudiant noir, 1935; Pigments, 1937; Poèmes nègres sur des airs

africains, 1948; Black Label, 1956; Pigments névralgiques, 1972.

On Sale

For Aimé Césaire

I feel ridiculous
in their shoes
in their tux
their starched shirt
their detachable collars
their monocle
their top hat

I feel ridiculous
with my big toes not made
to sweat from morning to evening undress
swaddling clothes weakening my members
taking the G-string beauty from my body

I feel ridiculous
with my neck in a stovepipe