Paul Fort

Paul Fort (1 February 1872—20 April 1960) was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. At the age of 18, reacting against the Naturalistic theatre, Fort founded the Théâtre d’Art (1890–93). He also founded and edited the literary reviews Livre d'Art with Alfred Jarry and Vers et Prose (1905–14) with poet Guillaume Apollinaire, which published the work of Paul Valéry and other important Symbolist writers. Fort is notable for his enormous volume of poetry, having published more than thirty volumes of ballads and, according to Amy Lowell for creating the polyphonic prose form in his 'Ballades francaises' .^[1]

Life and career

Born in Reims, Marne département, France, he became an important part of the artistic community of Montparnasse. While a student at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris, he founded the Théâtre d' Art in 1890. Many new artists were promoted there, including Paul Verlaine, Paul Gauguin, and Maurice Maeterlinck.^[2] By 1912 his accomplishments and influence were such that Verlaine gave him the title "Prince of the Poets."

One of his famous works was "La Ronde". This poem is famous world wide because it is a plea for world friendship.

He died on 20 April 1960 in France and is buried in the Cimetière de Montlhéry, in Montlhéry, Essonne département, in the Île-de-France, Region of France.

Trivia

Fort is mentioned by Hemingway as a customer of Closerie des Lilas, in A Moveable Feast.^[3]

References

1. ↑ Lowell,Amy A Consideration of Modern Poetry ,North american Review , Jan 1917
2. ↑ Maurice Maeterlinck, Bettina Knapp, (Twayne Publishers: Boston), 40.
3. ↑ The Restored Edition, Scribners, 2009.

External links

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• Poems by Paul Fort