The Shape of a City Changes Faster, Alas, than the Human Heart
An homage and response to many of France’s best-known poets, including Charles Baudelaire and Raymond Queneau, this collection moves through the streets of Paris, commenting on its inhabitants, its writers, its monumental past, and all its possible futures. Alternating between honesty and evasion, erudition and lightheartedness, constraint and freedom, The Form of a City Changes Faster, Alas, Than the Human Heart explores a Paris that’s no longer “the one we used to find.”
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This strong collection explores Roubaud's many poetic modes.Publishers WeeklyIn this hefty collection, renowned octogenarian novelist and poet Roubaud sets about capturing the city of Paris through a catalogue and discussion of its history, literature, landmarks and streets. Roubaud is a member of the Oulipo group of experimental writers, whose members have included Raymond Queneau and Italo Calvino. The best of these poems breathe new life into this storied city. Roubaud's memorable description of the Eiffel Tower revivifies the cliched landmark: "A dense crowd amble in the area your four legs straddle/ and gawk up at your nether parts... children are not banned and will go back directly to our countryside and dream, perverted ever after." Notable, too, are the "Six Little Logical Pieces": "-But I'd like/ to think truth/ here and now/ not think of anything/ in this floating world/ this fallible world/ this rotten plank of a world." At times, this detailing of the minutiae of Paris falls flat, as in the poem "License Portrait of Paris 1992," quite literally a list of Paris license plates-though preserving the city in this manner is perhaps part of the point. A thoughtful appendix of notes clarifies references and connections to French literature throughout. (July 18) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Paris5Commentary on the preceding poem6It's taken7Rue Volta9We can no longer call on saint cloud10Boulevard de Clichy12Stamp-collecting13Metro14Arrondissements17Queneau in November20The Gioconda25Sacre-Coeur!27Informal intimate ode to the copy of the standard meter in the Rue de Vaugirard28Rue Duguay-Trouin31A hotel in Rue Notre-Dame-de-Lorette33The Champs-Elysees roundabout35Pont des Arts37A poem for Claude Roy39Poem of the Eiffel Tower44Boulevard Pereire46Rue Etienne-Jodelle47The days grow shorter48The days grow longer50In spring51A couple in unison54Mother and daughter55Autumn in Rue du Printemps56Square Louis-XVI57Our kings58Rue Tronson-du-Coudray59Square Gabriel-Pierne60Place Paul-Verlaine61Rue de la Colonie62Rue Jonas63November64XVth Arrondissement65XVth Arrondissement, 266Boulevard Arago67Autumn in the air68History69Charles Martel70Few memories71Avenue Ernest-Reyer (Parkside)72Rue Guillaume-Tell73Kitty O'Shea74A good day75Hermit76Impasse de Nevers77Dream of February 11, 19 -78Dream of August 17, 19 -79The street80Sonnet I87Sonnet II : Square de Louvois88Sonnet III89Sonnet IV : in this city you didn't love90Sonnet V : endgame91Sonnet VI92Sonnet VII : to the Eiffel Tower93Sonnet VIII : Gare Saint-Lazare94Sonnet IX : Rue Rossini95Sonnet X : Canal Saint-Martin96Sonnet XI : Sunday, mein Oberkampf97Sonnet XII : line 2998Sonnet XIII : Rue Bobillot99Sonnet XIV100Sonnet XV101Sonnet XVI : Maison de la Radio102Sonnet XVII103Sonnet XVIII104Sonnet XIX : Buttes-Chaumont105Sonnet XX106IIt's raining109Raining!111IIThe past114A street116IIIThe time of lightning117The time118IVThe book119A street124VThe occasion125A street127VIThe truth128A street130Square des Blancs-Manteaux : meditation on deathIThe entrance135IIThe description136IIIThe division137IVThe causes138VThe effects139VIThe subject140VIIThe adjuvant141VIIIThe contrary142VIIIIThe comparisons143XThe names144XIThe testimonies145XIIThe taste of our meditation146XIIIThe complaint147XIIIIThe wish148XVThe confession149XVIThe petition and enforcement150XVIIThe assurance or confidence - silence : rue : silence151XVIIIThe thanksgiving152The streets in Paris157Invitation to the voyage160A bit of sociology163Montmartre Cemetery165Doggies and beauty166Wooden Paris167The trade in classics168Aide sociale ...170Maison Blanche ...171Sacre Coeur ...172Counting out rhyme for the year (two) thousand173Rainbow174Calculation175It's snowing!176The snow is melting!177Plesent streets178It's been raining181Licence portrait of Paris 1992183The hour184Natch189Natch, 2190Complications192They lived on Rue Campagne-Premiere193What the poet says in regard to flowers, fruit, leaves, and branches197Place du General-Brocard202Ah!204Song of Rue Custine and Rue Caulaincourt205Rues Madame and Monsieur207Storm at nine208When209Rue d'Amsterdam210Quiet days at Porte d'Orleans215An address to the streets of Paris217Paris218Of Paris219Pont Mirabeau220Pont Mirabeau221Rue des entrepreneurs222Hotel des Deux Acacias223Quiet days at Porte d'Orleans, 2 (1993)224Rome's no longer in Rome, etc226Piratewatch227Rue Pavee228De229Square230Passage Choiseul231Rue Vielle-du-Temple, 1983232Alone, Rue Sainte-Anne, the Monday of Pentecost 1995234Quiet days at Porte d'Orleans, 3 (1995 version)235Among a lot of poems239Undated night, Rue Saint-Jacques240
\ Publishers WeeklyIn this hefty collection, renowned octogenarian novelist and poet Roubaud sets about capturing the city of Paris through a catalogue and discussion of its history, literature, landmarks and streets. Roubaud is a member of the Oulipo group of experimental writers, whose members have included Raymond Queneau and Italo Calvino. The best of these poems breathe new life into this storied city. Roubaud's memorable description of the Eiffel Tower revivifies the cliched landmark: "A dense crowd amble in the area your four legs straddle/ and gawk up at your nether parts... children are not banned and will go back directly to our countryside and dream, perverted ever after." Notable, too, are the "Six Little Logical Pieces": "-But I'd like/ to think truth/ here and now/ not think of anything/ in this floating world/ this fallible world/ this rotten plank of a world." At times, this detailing of the minutiae of Paris falls flat, as in the poem "License Portrait of Paris 1992," quite literally a list of Paris license plates-though preserving the city in this manner is perhaps part of the point. A thoughtful appendix of notes clarifies references and connections to French literature throughout. (July 18) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.\ \
