The Yale Anthology of Twentieth-Century French Poetry

Michel Deguy 1930–

paris, france

O

ne of the younger French postwar poets, Deguy was influenced by his

studies in philosophy and literature. Central to his belief that the

poem is a process of becoming is the French word comme, or ‘‘like,’’

whereby two opposing elements may be brought together without eliminating

their di√erence. Deguy taught philosophy at the Université Saint-Denis (Paris

VIII) until 1968 and has since taught literature there. He founded many reviews,

among them Po&sie (in 1977), which he continues to edit. He has traveled widely

as one of the leading representatives of French poetry and is noted for his essays on

other poets, especially Mallarmé, and on poetic theory. Principal works: Frag-

ments du cadastre, 1960; Oui dire, 1966; Tombeau de Du Bellay, 1973; Vingt poètes

américains (with Jacques Roubaud), 1980; Gisants, 1985; Arrêts fréquents, 1990; A ce

qui n’en finit pas: Thrène, 1995; La poésie n’est pas seule, 1998; La Raison poétique,

2000; L’Énergie du désespoir, ou d’une poétique continuée par tous les moyens, 2002.

O Great Apposition of the World

O great apposition of the world
a rose field near a wheat field and
two red children in the field bordering on the rose field and a corn field near the
wheat field and two old willows where they join; the song of two rose children in
the wheat field near the rose field and two old willows keeping watch over the
roses the wheat the red children and the corn

The blue blots like a spot

The white ink of clouds

Children are also my

Country path

—clayton eshleman

Grey Pier

Grey pier from where the snow bait falls
The day declines into its coincidence