Easy French Poetry (French Today)

À l'écart du mouvement surréaliste, la poésie de Supervielle est humaine, souvent inspirée par le monde qui nous entourre et la nature.

Poète et théoricien de l'Esprit nouveau, ses oeuvres annoncent déjà surréalisme. Dans ce poème, la femme est associée à une fleur des champs, la colchique. Mais la colchique est vénéneuse, c'est donc un poison...

Paul Valéry croit que la poésie possède un pouvoir émotionnel qui peut être presque magique...

Au milieu d’une rue étourdissante, le poète croise du regard une femme qui passe et il est ébloui par sa beauté et sa noblesse. Quand elle disparaît tout à coup dans la foule, il devient découragé....

This poem in middle French, from the 17th century, is an hymn to indolence. Saint-Amant was a libertin poet, who enjoyed all the pleasures of life, liked to eat, drink, smoke and rest, as depicted in this poem.

In this 16th century poem written in old French, a young woman is being married to an older man. She shares with us her attempts to seduce her husband, her torments and the decision she finally takes.

This fable tells a great story about a reed (which represent the people) and an all-mighty oak (representing the king)...

This 19th century poem, 336 verse long, is in fact very philosophical and talks about the human condition. Written in Alexandrines, the poet entices a woman (Èva) to leave urban life, and live in Nature (considered as God's creation) which fascinates him as much as it disgusts him..

This is a sensual, yet very deep poem from Voltaire, 18th century.

Aujourd'hui, je vais vous lire un poème de Théophile Gautier, qui s’intitule “Carmen”.

"Le Niagara" by Louis Fréchette - Slow reading, author's life, analysis and fast reading.

Poème "Sur Une Morte" d'Alfred de Musset

"Ballade des Dames du Temps Jadis" et "Épitaphe", ou "Ballade des Pendus".

Simple reading of "La Feuille Blanche" de Paul Valéry

Simple reading of "La Laitière et le Pot au Lait" de Jean de La Fontaine

This is a French as a second language Podcast, using poetry as a topic for discussion using everyday conversational French. Go to www.learnfrenchinboston.com for more info on how to use this podcast according to your level.