Paroles (French Edition) (Folio) by Jacques Prevert (1976-09-10)

I had become very interested in French poetry but was not sure who to read that was more modern. I first heard of Prevert in my French text book. They had included some biographical information on Prevert and one of his poems for students to read due to its simplicity of language. This was the tip I was looking for, and I was very curious to read more of this poet--and I am glad I did! I would compare Prevert to W.C. Williams in the sense that they both find the profound in the mundane. This is an ability that I greatly admire in a poet, and Prevert has the gift of being able to illuminate the beauty that passes us unnoticed at all times. If you are a long time lover of great poetry or are simply looking to expand your horizons you will not be disappointed with this book. Prevert and his poetry span the entire range of humanity--the young love him as well as the old, the academic as well as the average reader. He is accessable to all, and loved by all.

Jacques Prévert is able to communicate so much by saying so little. His poems are simple yet somehow manage to touch people on levels much deeper than one would think. To not have experienced Prévert is to have truly missed out on one of the truly gifted poets of this century.

These poems are so insightful not only to the human mind, but the heart and soul as well. Through the beautiful language and images that the poet chose to compile this masterpiece, we see our own feelings and desires. He points out the way things should be, the way things are, and the way we only sigh and wish they were different rather than changing them. A poet through and through, though you must read his work in his native tounge to understand the true beauty of of Prevert....

Prevert's words leave you spinning as if you know where he is, what he looks at, what he's thinking. He describes his world in such a manner...that the reader has no choice. His Blood and Feathers volume is just as good.

The poet Jacques Prevert is a master at describing people's emotional life in simple language. His French is easy, the vocabulary familiar, the voice compelling. Read "Familiale", "Rue de Seine", "Dejeuner de Matin" to begin with.