Paul Valéry (1871–1945)

A princípio seriam 24 poemas em prosa para as 24 horas e letras do alfabeto. Seguem a partir desse plano mais livremente, inacabadamente, e a relação com o material também é solta. Talvez essa postura mais sentimental, e a relação da escrita com o âmbito das sensações e de um pensamento que observa as sensações é o que me afasta.

Comprei o livro pela edição bilíngue, porque ando querendo ler mais em francês, mas não sou fluente o suficiente para enfrentar desamparado livros mais poeticamente complexos.… (more)

This anthology, in addition to a selection of poems, includes essays, two dialogues, and two selections from Monsieur Teste. The essays are perhaps the most accessible of all the selections. But all of Valery's prose and poetry is stunning and warrants rereading to approach a basic level of understanding.

I was most fascinated with his essay on "The Method of Leonardo". As he put it, he attempted to "go beyond indiscriminate admiration", but it would seem at least in part a form of hubris to be too critical in the case of Leonardo. He struggles to encompass the mind of Leonardo and determine the balance between art and science.

In "The Crisis of the Mind", written in 1919 in response to the Great War we find Valery saying, "And we now see that the abyss of history is deep enough to hold us all. We are aware that a civilization has the same fragility as a life." (p 94) With observations of equal profundity and sufficient poetry to tantalize the reader, this is a volume to be recommended.… (more)