Jacques Prévert (1900)

 Déjeuner du Matin by Jacques Prévert

Il a mis le café
Dans la tasse
Il a mis le lait
Dans la tasse de café
Il a mis le sucre
Dans le café au lait
Avec la petite cuillere
Il a tourné
Il a bu le café au lait
Et il a reposé la tasse
Sans me parler

Il a allumé
Une cigarette
Il a fait des ronds
Avec la fumée
Il a mis les cendres
Dans le cendrier
Sans me parler
Sans me regarder
Il s’est levé
Il a mis
Son chapeau sur sa tête
Il a mis
Son manteau de pluie
Parce qu’il pleuvait
Et il est parti
Sous la pluie
Sans une parole
Sans me regarder

Et moi j’ai pris
Ma tête dans ma main
Et j’ai pleuré

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Jacques Prévert: Biography and Cultural Context of His Poetry

Biography

Jacques Prévert (1900–1977) was a French poet and screenwriter known for his accessible, lyrical, and often politically engaged poetry. Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, he grew up in a middle-class family but was drawn to literature and the arts from a young age. During his youth, he rejected formal education and was instead influenced by the vibrant cultural and political atmosphere of early 20th-century Paris.

Prévert became associated with the Surrealist movement in the 1920s, frequenting artistic and intellectual circles that included figures like André Breton. However, he maintained an independent voice and never fully embraced Surrealism’s rigid theoretical framework. Instead, he developed a poetic style characterized by simplicity, wit, irony, and a strong sense of humanity.

His most famous poetry collection, Paroles (1946), cemented his reputation as one of France’s most beloved poets. Prévert also collaborated on films, including Les Enfants du Paradis (1945), a classic of French cinema.

Cultural Context of His Poetry

Prévert’s poetry emerged in a period of social and political upheaval, including World War I, the rise of Fascism, World War II, and the postwar reconstruction of France. His work reflects a deep concern for social justice, human rights, and anti-authoritarianism.

1. Surrealist Influence and Popular Language

Though influenced by Surrealism, Prévert’s poetry was more direct and accessible. He rejected complex or obscure language in favor of simple, everyday speech, making his work appealing to a broad audience. He often played with words and irony, using humor and satire to critique social injustices.

2. Political and Social Engagement

Prévert was critical of war, nationalism, and religious dogma. His poems often sympathized with the working class and the marginalized, expressing a deep humanism. Paroles contains strong anti-authoritarian themes, reflecting his leftist, anarchist-leaning ideals.

3. Love, Nature, and Freedom

Alongside political themes, Prévert’s poetry is deeply romantic and celebratory of love, nature, and personal freedom. He wrote tender, emotional poems about relationships, often portraying love as a form of resistance against oppression. His poem Barbara is a poignant example of how he intertwined love with the trauma of war.

4. Film and Visual Arts Influence

Prévert’s background in cinema and visual arts influenced his poetry’s vivid imagery and narrative quality. His poems often read like short scenes or snapshots, filled with movement and dynamic contrasts.

Legacy

Prévert’s poetry remains widely read in France, where it is part of school curricula and popular culture. His ability to blend humor, emotion, and political critique in an accessible style has made him a lasting voice of resistance, love, and humanism in modern poetry.

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