La poésie de Philippe Jaccottet : réparer l’absence, « à la frontière de Dieu »
The Poetry of Philippe Jaccottet: repairing absence, near the frontier with God

Summary/Abstract: In 1961 Philippe Jaccottet wrote : « The best answer to all kinds of questions is the poem’s very absence of a response ». In keeping with the elusive nature of the world, abandoned by the gods and by God, the poem remains mysterious, thus translating as well as preserving the inexhaustible richness of Nature and human beings. So the poet not only accepts such a precarious situation, but learns from it. Nevertheless, when someone dear dies, the poet tends to deny the absence of the loved one and revolts against it, since there no longer are any signs of presence : merely incomprehensible absence. Yet he chooses to bear witness, even if he remains ignorant and weak. In effect this is a duty : poetry provides a link which enables separation to avoid becoming definitive absence. Words are repairing shuttles.

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