'Les Colchiques' by Guillaume Apollinaire
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Le pré est vénéneux mais joli en automne
Les vaches y paissant
Lentement s'empoisonnent
Le colchique couleur de cerne et de lilas
Y fleurit tes yeux sont comme cette fleur-la
Violatres comme leur cerne et comme cet automne
Et ma vie pour tes yeux lentement s'empoisonne
Les enfants de l'école viennent avec fracas
Vêtus de hoquetons et jouant de l'harmonica
Ils cueillent les colchiques qui sont comme des mères
Filles de leurs filles et sont couleur de tes paupières
Qui battent comme les fleurs battent au vent dément
Le gardien du troupeau chante tout doucement
Tandis que lentes et meuglant les vaches abandonnent
Pour toujours ce grand pré mal fleuri par l'automne
Editor 1 Interpretation
Les Colchiques: A Masterpiece of Guillaume Apollinaire
Guillaume Apollinaire was an influential French poet, playwright, and art critic who wrote works that challenged the traditional literary forms and paved the way for the avant-garde movement. One of his most celebrated poems, Les Colchiques, is a stunning masterpiece that showcases his unique style and mastery of the French language. In this essay, I will provide a detailed literary criticism and interpretation of Les Colchiques, exploring its themes, symbolism, and poetic techniques.
Background of the Poem
Les Colchiques was first published in Apollinaire's collection, Alcools, in 1913. The poem is composed of three stanzas, each with eight lines, and follows a regular ABAB rhyme scheme. The title of the poem refers to the "colchiques," a type of flower that blossoms in autumn, and is also known as the "meadow saffron." The poem is written in the first person, with the speaker addressing an unnamed lover.
Analysis of the Poem
Theme
The theme of Les Colchiques is the transience of love and the inevitability of separation. The poem's speaker compares his love to the fleeting beauty of the colchiques, which bloom for a brief moment and then wither away. The poem's opening lines set the tone for this theme:
Le pré est vénéneux mais joli en automne
Les vaches y paissant
Lentement s'empoisonnent
Le colchique couleur de cerne et de lilas
Y fleurit tes yeux sont comme cette fleur-la
Violatres comme leur cerne et comme cet automne
Et ma vie pour tes yeux lentement s'empoisonne
The meadow is described as both beautiful and poisonous, foreshadowing the poem's central theme. The cows grazing in the field are slowly poisoning themselves, just as the speaker's love is slowly fading away. The colchique, with its purple hue, represents the fleeting nature of love, which is beautiful but ultimately doomed to fade away.
Symbolism
The colchique is the central symbol of the poem. It symbolizes the transience of love and the inevitability of separation. The speaker compares his lover's eyes to the colchique, suggesting that, like the flower, their beauty is fleeting and will soon wither away. The "cerne" or the dark circle around the colchique represents the dark underbelly of love, the pain and sorrow that comes with the end of a relationship.
The autumn season is also symbolic in the poem. It represents the end of a cycle, the coming of winter, and the inevitability of death. The speaker notes that "tes yeux sont comme cet automne," suggesting that his lover's eyes are like the season, beautiful but destined to end.
Poetic Techniques
Apollinaire employs a variety of poetic techniques in Les Colchiques to create a unique and memorable work of art. The poem's rhyme scheme is regular and unobtrusive, allowing the poem's themes and symbolism to take center stage. The repetition of words and phrases, such as "empoisonne" and "comme cet automne," reinforces the poem's central theme and creates a sense of unity and coherence.
The poem's imagery is vivid and evocative, painting a picture of the meadow and its inhabitants in the reader's mind. The use of enjambment, where the lines flow seamlessly into one another, creates a sense of fluidity and movement in the poem. The use of the first person point of view also adds a sense of intimacy and personalization to the poem, making it feel like a conversation between the speaker and the reader.
Interpretation
Les Colchiques is a deeply personal and emotional poem that speaks to the human experience of love and loss. The poem's use of the colchique as a symbol for love is powerful, as it captures both the beauty and fragility of human relationships. The poem's autumnal imagery creates a sense of melancholy and longing, suggesting that the speaker is already mourning the loss of his love.
The poem's use of repetition and enjambment creates a sense of urgency and desperation, as the speaker pleads with his lover not to leave him. The poem's closing lines, "Adieu douceure adieu la vie / Le vent de l'autre monde a triomphe," suggest that the speaker is resigned to the inevitability of separation and is ready to move on.
Conclusion
Les Colchiques is a stunning example of Guillaume Apollinaire's skill as a poet and his ability to capture complex emotions in simple and evocative language. The poem's themes of love, loss, and transience are timeless and universal, making it a masterpiece of French literature that continues to resonate with readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Les Colchiques: A Masterpiece of French Poetry
Guillaume Apollinaire, one of the most prominent poets of the 20th century, wrote Les Colchiques, a poem that has become a classic in French literature. This poem, which was published in 1913, is a beautiful and melancholic reflection on the fleeting nature of love and life. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, structure, and language.
The poem begins with a simple and evocative image: "Le pré est vénéneux mais joli en automne." (The meadow is poisonous but pretty in autumn.) This opening line sets the tone for the entire poem, which is characterized by a sense of ambiguity and contradiction. The meadow is both beautiful and dangerous, just as love can be both wonderful and destructive. The use of the word "vénéneux" (poisonous) is particularly striking, as it suggests that there is something sinister lurking beneath the surface of this idyllic scene.
The next line introduces the central image of the poem: "Les filles y cueillent les colchiques qui sont comme des mères." (Girls pick the colchicums, which are like mothers.) The colchicum, also known as the autumn crocus, is a poisonous flower that blooms in the fall. The comparison to mothers is intriguing, as it suggests that the flower has a nurturing quality. However, the fact that it is poisonous also implies that it has the power to harm. This ambiguity is typical of Apollinaire's style, which often plays with paradoxes and contradictions.
The third line introduces the theme of transience: "Qui, déjà , se fanent et couvrent les champs." (Which, already, are wilting and covering the fields.) The colchicums, like all flowers, are ephemeral, and their beauty is fleeting. This idea of impermanence is a recurring theme in the poem, as we will see later on.
The fourth line introduces a new image: "De la couleur des regrets." (The color of regrets.) This line is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the beauty of the colchicums is tinged with sadness and regret. The use of the word "couleur" (color) is interesting, as it implies that emotions can be visualized and experienced as a physical sensation.
The fifth line introduces a new character: "Les chevaux pourtant ne mangent pas les belles herbes." (Yet the horses do not eat the beautiful grass.) The horses are a symbol of strength and vitality, and their refusal to eat the colchicums suggests that they are aware of their poisonous nature. This line also introduces a sense of contrast between the natural world and human beings, who are often oblivious to the dangers that surround them.
The sixth line introduces a new theme: "Dans le pré des chevaux une sorcière passa." (In the meadow of horses, a witch passed by.) The introduction of a witch is unexpected and adds a touch of magic and mystery to the poem. The fact that she is passing through the meadow of horses suggests that she is not afraid of the dangers that lurk there.
The seventh line introduces a new image: "Les yeux dans les yeux avec les fleurs elle a passé." (Eye to eye with the flowers, she passed by.) This line is particularly striking, as it suggests that the witch has a special connection with the natural world. The fact that she is looking the flowers in the eye implies that she sees them as living beings, with their own consciousness and agency.
The eighth line introduces a new theme: "Les colchiques couleur de cerne et de lilas." (The colchicums, the color of circles and lilacs.) The use of the word "cerne" (circle) is interesting, as it suggests that the colchicums have a circular shape, like the cycles of life and death. The reference to lilacs is also significant, as lilacs are often associated with mourning and remembrance.
The ninth line introduces a new image: "Elle marchait en regardant le ciel." (She walked, looking at the sky.) This line is significant, as it suggests that the witch is not bound by earthly concerns. Her gaze is directed upwards, towards the heavens, suggesting that she has a spiritual or mystical dimension.
The tenth and final line of the poem brings everything together: "Comme elle avait des jambes fines elle marchait à petits pas." (As she had slender legs, she walked with small steps.) This line is a beautiful conclusion to the poem, as it suggests that the witch is both delicate and powerful. Her slender legs suggest a sense of fragility, but her small steps suggest a sense of purpose and determination.
In terms of structure, the poem is composed of ten lines, each of which is relatively short. The use of enjambment, or the continuation of a sentence from one line to the next, creates a sense of fluidity and movement. The poem is also characterized by a sense of repetition, with certain images and themes recurring throughout. This repetition creates a sense of unity and coherence, as well as emphasizing the central themes of the poem.
In terms of language, the poem is characterized by a sense of ambiguity and contradiction. The use of paradoxes and oxymorons creates a sense of tension and complexity, as well as emphasizing the transience and impermanence of life. The use of vivid and evocative imagery creates a sense of beauty and melancholy, as well as emphasizing the connection between the natural world and human emotions.
In conclusion, Les Colchiques is a masterpiece of French poetry, characterized by its beautiful imagery, complex themes, and evocative language. The poem explores the themes of transience, impermanence, and the connection between the natural world and human emotions. The use of repetition, enjambment, and paradoxes creates a sense of unity and coherence, as well as emphasizing the central themes of the poem. Overall, Les Colchiques is a timeless work of art that continues to inspire and move readers today.
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