L'Intention Poétique

by Édouard Glissant

["L'Intention Poetique: Poétique II", 1997, GLISSANT]
«Il n'y a pas un poème qui donne, il n'y a pas poème qui résume. La poétique est vrillée à l'énorme encan où le monde enfin réuni et divers se vend, s'offre, se rassemble. La poétique perce au profond (n'en remonte pas indistincte), exige de se nier là où elle affirme ; d'une poétique des poétiques du monde il ressort une antipoétique (une négation de l'Un dans le champ du Divers). Le poème est l'outil poétique de l'Un. Le bruit du poème aujourd'hui est donné dans un autre bruit : cette voix totale, armée, niante, reliante. Le poème est un moment de la voix, il ne se pose. C'est un pan du tout, qui ne se dévale pas tout. Je peux dépasser le poème, si ma voix est soutenue de l'énorme balan, si je consens aux densités de perfection que le poème imposait ; si, le quittant, je tends à y venir.»

Genres: Poetry, Theory, Criticism, Philosophy, Nonfiction

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Édouard Glissant was a French writer, poet, philosopher, and literary critic from Martinique. He is widely recognised as one of the most influential figures in Caribbean thought and cultural commentary.

Reviews

[Taha · Rating 3 out of 5]

reading this books is oscillating between "Oh yeah, I totally get that" and "what the fuck did I just read?"

Reading this book might have been easier to delineate if I had learnt French and just read the French version.

Also, I feel inadequate in my knowledge of this book to give it a rating. I'm unsure as to whether or not it has substance, or if it is just a bunch of translated French gibberish.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

ai glissant<3

[lilly amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do not read this translation

[Lilith Leedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had the hardest time reading this text of any Glissant book I have read. Its ideas are there, but I can't quite parse them all. This isn't an indictment, but rather a note on personal preference.

[Gerry LaFemina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me awhile--a long while--to get into: part literary criticism, part anthropology, part quick studies of French and Francophone literature, and all poetic prose, this book is smart and ultimately a challenging and worthwhile read for anyone wanting a tough discussion of poetics vis a vis philosophy.