Mina de plomb, Mina de ren - Mine de plomb, Mine de rien - Cecila Chapduelh

Mina de plomb, Mina de ren - Mine de plomb, Mine de rien - Cecila Chapduelh

(Lead pencil, little things)

This collection, illustrated with pencil drawings by Jué (hence the title), is in two parts: two dozen ditties and a dozen prose portraits.

Les Chansonnettes de rien (the diminutive and the negation assert the desire not to take oneself too seriously) mischievously take up the form and tone of popular rengaines, but make a radical break with the themes and clichés one might expect from "women's poetry" (if there is such a thing). They're full of nastiness and wit (bad wit), a bit like those medieval pastourelles where the shepherdess bluntly rebuffs the nobleman who courts her, except that here she's the one openly flirting with the gentleman, in "patois" of course. They are just as blunt in asserting a woman's right to express her desires. But it would be wrong to reduce them to their provocative aspect. These ditties can also be songs of sincere love, even if formulated in the language of the simple.

As for the Portraits photosensibles, these are little burlesque tales, whimsical portraits of imaginary creatures, such as the polyglot chameleon who takes on the accent of his interlocutors, or the epitaphographer who virtuosically writes the few words that will be placed on the grave of the departed. The definition of her specifications forms an embryo of poetic art, which perhaps also applies to the poet herself: "Sensitivity, concision, poetry, that's what it takes to do this job.

Bilingual poetry collection, French version by author Cécile Chadeuil, illustrated with pencil drawings by Jue.
A modern-day author with an innovative voice.

Editions Jorn.