He does not prove it, but this is what one can readAnthology of Women’s Poetry in Acadie, published in 2014. Initially shocked by this qualifier, Rose Després quickly concluded that there was some truth to it. “I am a great rebel against all injustice, wrongdoing, dehumanization of the world, planet, dictatorship, cruelty. “
The first collection of poetry by Rose Després, Fever of our handswas published in 1982. Forty years later, he published, last March, his seventh collection, Stay in Belle-Cote. Topics discussed include, war, ocean pollution, clearcutting and drowning of refugees. Poetry has a responsibility to denounce injustices, the shortcomings of humanity, all that is harmful and destructive.
” For me, poetry is not strictly tearing my soul apart. “
Rose Després knew that her poetry was not pleasant to read. And even then, this last collection will be more difficult than the previous ones, as he was told. Readers want to have a pleasant experience, which allows a certain development, but without being obliged to make mea culpa. This is not an accusation, but an observation.
Hermetic poetry
In addition to the themes discussed, the poet believes it is his way of writing that can be postponed. At the Acadian Poetry Festival in Caraquet last year, Rose Després read her first collection. He was excited: while some themes remained over the years, his literary formula underwent a complete overhaul.
The first collection is very prosaic, it read like a short story. Gradually, from one collection to another, it became more dense and intensified. There is an economy of words for many meditations. You can read three consecutive paragraphs several times to complete it.
To those who find his writing too complex, hermetic and jerky, he doesn’t intentionally do so. However, he wonders if he won’t do better to come back with a more fluid, more readable writing for his next collection. But will there be a new one? When I’m done Stay in Belle-Cote, I didn’t feel like I had a different collection. My books are long.
The poet admitted that he was tired of this two-year pandemic, until his collection was barely published. I was ready to take it out and put it in a crate. I’m not in a hurry nor do I need to publish. For me I could not devote the time and energy to accomplish this. The last two years have been really hard, come hell or high water.
More than a month after his book was published, the author still finds it hard to realize that it came out of its boxes. I don’t seem to be aware of it yet. It’s really weird, this is my first time happening.
A real springboard for Canadian writers, the Prix de la création Radio-Canada is open to anyone writing, whether novice or professional. Each year, they award the best stories (story experiences), short stories and unpublished poems submitted to the competition.
Did you write poems? Send us your unpublished texts before May 31, 2022.
Source: Radio-Canada
