‘Poetry is a bond across barriers’ – Brigitte Poirson | PIN Literary Interviews

Here, Semilore Kilaso, moderator of PIN Literary Interviews, engages French poet and foremost promoter of African poetry, Brigitte Poirson in an exhaustive conversation dominated by poetry writing, poetry promotion, Naija pidgin, Nigerian culture and leadership…

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• It is my pleasure having you on this session of PIN Literary Interviews. Can we please meet you? Who Brigitte Poirson?

It is an honour to meet the PIN team on this session. Brigitte Poirson, a former teacher and university lecturer in languages in France and Britain, an award-winning poet…so the story goes. Forgive me for labelling it slightly… reductive! Allow me to describe myself as mostly nondescript. I should underline my immoderate passion for literature and education.  But I should hasten to add it is freedom that precedes and follows me everywhere.  I have always made sure to wriggle my way out of every kind of tutelage that threatened to choke me. I make it a duty to never submit to any diktats.  My love for freedom has also urged me to travel to many foreign countries; literature and education have led me to endeavour to open larger vistas for the newcomers of life. I am a humble and free adventurer of the human soul. Because this is how to best find my way to serve.

• Words Rhymes and Rhythms (WRR) organises the Brigitte Poirson Poetry Contest (BPPC). Could you tell us your relationship with WRR and the genesis of the contest?

I have therefore felt the urge to ‘upgrade’ literary talents left to pine in solitude or in stifling environments, or just eager to shine. Having been sensitized to African stories virtually from birth, I much later managed to establish strong connections with the South African socio-literary sphere when I visited this country. It enabled me to publish two poetry anthologies printed in Bloemfontein to promote the works of budding African poets, with the help of a local writer, Phinithi J. Ntelekoa. Samson I. Kukogho, one of the poets included, proved interested in taking up the torch to construct a solid project in Nigeria, a hotbed of poetic talents. Consequently, WRR was born from our association and was officially registered as a publishing house, WRR, in Abuja in early 2015. Sir KIS obligingly suggested I handle my eponymous contest under the competence of WRR to encourage and reward young authors. The final anthology compiled with the winners’ poems I edit is distributed at “the Feast of Words”.

• What does the BPPC aims to achieve

The aim of the BPPC is to reveal poets to themselves and to the world. They need recognition, rewards, opportunities. Being encouraged and promoted is key to getting self-confidence, which can be better called self-recognition. And this is key to further achievements, often beyond all expectations. For instance, one of the early BPPC winners, who initially very much doubted his talent, recently made it to an enlarged list – just behind the winning list – of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, the selection being made out of 5,107 entries from 49 countries. He has consequently been offered publication by the Commonwealth Foundation based in London. Others brilliantly vitalize the creative world at home through various initiatives ranging from editing to coaching, connecting, reviewing…

• You are very passionate and committed to supporting the promotion of poetry, with special interest in Nigerian. What fuels this passion of yours?

Passion is the word. An inextinguishable one. There are poetic streams rushing along the African lands, the streams of a fertilizing spirit which irrigates the mental landscape of the continent in general, and Nigeria in particular. They find their source in deep African traditions, an endless reservoir of creativity and wisdom. The way Nigerians play with the English language keeps amazing me. They certainly have more to teach me than the other way round. A teacher often proves to be the one who manages to learn from his/her students!

• As a French English educator and bilingual writer, what key influence does mastery of language have on poetry?

Mastery of language rarely comes first in the writing process. But budding writers will regularly feel the need to measure up to the rules. Rules will enable them to both canalize their inspiration and teach them how to twist the language so as to fit their own technical expectations and personal visions. When they meet issues with structure, punctuation, imagery (far-fetched comparisons, clashing images) and pertinence of word choice, they will often feel lost, then realise those ‘details’ matter. Such problems must be dealt with to the sole aim of developing creativity, because creativity stands at the core of talent, on a par with communication, which is the ultimate reason for using words. I am a believer in syntactic and lexical accuracy, but only as the appropriate tools to support creativity and enhance communication. Even de-structuring the language necessitates perceiving the structure that pre-exists the deconstruction. Basically literature is a transfer of words representing a transfer of facts, concepts, feelings…and fun. Fantasy, irony or poetic license are archtools of the Muse. Mastering the language is then of prime importance. Even expressing incommunicability is a way to communicate. The poetic quest is concerned with creating originality and reaching out to other minds. It carries the flux from mind to mind, heart to heart. Uncovering the secrets of syntactic and lexical knowledge is imperative to perfect the art in any language. To this effect, WRR initially consisted in “a college of poetry” before becoming a publishing house. Now I chat young poets into discovering that learning and patience will take them where they want to go. But many contestants today are full-fledged poets!

• Do you think our popular Naija pidgin deserve promotion? What advice do you have for users of indigenous languages for poetry writing and its translation? 

Promoting African indigenous languages has been another passion of mine.  I have been sensitized to these languages at an early age and they have always fascinated me, perhaps because our European languages have been so formatted by centuries of rules that I felt in a literary straightjacket inside my official language. As a baby, I felt the need to create my own ‘lingua’. Words like “shoobilanewp, bwabopair, zoonah or bohunaa” are still understood in my family and friends’ circles, and kids spontaneously adopt it to become part of the fun. It gives a feeling of belonging. Nigerian Pidgin functions much on the same lines at a national level. It has become a link across communities, a common denominator between co-existing populations, often the best way to exchange information. A connection towards unity. A precious common linguistic currency that has to be valued at all costs. It evokes Creole, one of the rare vernacular languages accepted on the French territory. Regional languages were totally banned in France until 2008, and many died under the rule. My grandma’s ‘patois’ has disappeared from the linguistic landscape forever. This must not be allowed to happen in Nigeria. Mother tongues are the tongues of mothers, and as such irreplaceable, the very seat of civilization. Killing vernaculars by law or abandon means destroying the source of a nation’s spirit, its traditions, its wisdom, i.e. its true wealth. Indigenous languages, literally the language of our genes, represent the most precious expressions of human diversity, the original forms of a nation’s genius. They must all be respected preserved, spoken, studied, highlighted, promoted. They have to be specifically honoured. The latest BPPC edition consisted in writing a poem in English and offering an indigenous version of it. The English text was meant to cast a light on the marvels of Nigerian languages. Poets ought to be particularly devoted to using them, and in doing so, handle them with care. These languages are often characterized by a great complexity. Yoruba is a tonal language. Marking the accents may feel bothersome, but what a richness to be cultivated! Translating is harsh. But in some cases, translation may become closer to transcription, since what matters is to keep the spirit of the text. Minority languages matter just as much, as they illustrate a culture.

• Do you agree that competitions are important and healthy in the creative space? 

Though they may feel unfair and are sometimes believed to set limits to the creative mind, competitions are healthy in so far as they incite poets to surpass their own linguistic limits to deepen and enrich their creativity – since they feel the need to excel. Respecting guidelines is a healthy exercise!  They also enable poets to rub elbows with fellow writers and find their bearings in the literary sphere. But competitions must not be considered an ultimate goal. They imply selection, therefore exclusion. But they prove the winner’s talent, not the lack of talent of those who do not make it to the top. They are tools of promotion. They can also be seen as steps towards discovering or asserting one’s own style and line of action in literature. Anyway, a springboard to more.

 

• What do you look out for when critiquing or judging poems?

Critiquing supposes you examine a text and guide the author towards expressing exactly what (s)he means. It implies a positive review of the qualities, but also of the problems met in the text – at times followed by suggestions for solutions, while you always keep in mind the literary genius of the author. When judging poems, it is important to look out for the various aspects that compose the texture and determine the quality of a text. The first and foremost criteria are creativity and originality, and the general quality of the delivery: correction – structure, semantics… – but also the harmony of words, rhythm and presentation, relevance to the theme, use of literary devices … And at times, a more subjective global impression settles the score! Because meeting a poem is a heart’s encounter.

 

• Poetry appreciation is gaining grounds in Nigeria and the world. What in your opinion is the place of poetry in literary creativity? What opportunities for Poets?

Poetry today is gaining grounds particularly thanks to the internet. The social networks propagate poetry more rapidly and widely than traditional publishers ever did. But both are complementary. Nothing will feel better and last longer than words you can touch on paper. Nevertheless, poetry to my mind, is under-represented in the literary and publishing spheres. It is concerned with the deepest and vastest human experiences. It is per se a field of experimentation with the language, a laboratory for creativity, and produces the best texts ever. Yet it is still generally considered a minor literary genre. Poets often earn popularity and royalties when they reach out to other genres. And they do not make it to a Nobel Prize of Literature as frequently as novelists. As Artists of the Word, poets need more ambitious actions, more opportunities to gain recognition other than a role in inspiring TV commercials, for instance. They want real offers in the fields of edition and distribution. More publicity. Being a novelist is a status. Why do I get that weird feeling that the craft of a poet is viewed just as a hobby? Hopefully the social networks may in the long run strike a better balance, but there is still a long way to go. In that respect, the role of magazines, reviews, webinars, contests, freelance literary agencies, among many initiatives, has to be noted and their importance underscored. Because, in W.S. Maugham’s word, “The crown of literature is poetry”. But also because this crown needs to be popularized and shared if it is to play its true role in society. I wish it could be shared more with female writers as well…

• With your experience associating with Nigerians via Nigerian poets, what do you have to say about the people and cultures of Nigerians?

Nigeria: one people, multiple cultures and religions. This inexhaustible source of human wealth may also be called Nigeria’s big problem. Open-minded and kind-hearted as Nigerians prove to be, their country still remains enslaved by rampant violence, probably a legacy of a difficult past. Poetry then represents the most appropriate vehicle to bring about transformation. By pinning terms to the many evils that plague their country, poets point to the direction of solutions. The trademark of Nigerian verse consists in the poets’ aptitude to assemble unique poetic clusters springing from the musical sonorities of words drawn from the African traditions to stir up intense feelings, emotions and thoughts. The density, diversity and originality of Nigerian poetry, cultures, arts and crafts plead for peace. They should be viewed as special civilizing instruments and solid assets towards creating unity through diversity. “Poetry is an act of peace”, Pablo Neruda stated once and for all.

• As a country, Nigeria is a blessed country whose leaderships haven’t got it right for developmental leaps that would recognise it in this regard. Do you think Poets have been doing enough in creatively reaching out to the authorities?

Governments are supposed to be enlightened enough to acknowledge the importance of cultural activities – alongside education – in the fight for progress and peace. It does not sound abusive to expect governments (the world over actually) to support poetry, which is paramount in building up a national feeling through the artists’ combined actions and initiatives that activate a feeling of belonging to a common ‘House’. Which means poetry is more than an art. It is an essential component of life in society. Governments are too often and too much involved in investing in material riches, not enough in the human wealth that forms and informs the arteries of society. Maybe poets should take action in that direction. Why not compose a “Declaration of Poetry” to defend their rights, for instance?

• What’s your take about literary activism in terms of taking poetry out of the pages to the streets?

Street actions have fortunately become customary to democratize poetry.  Slam sessions, open mic sessions, great events at special venues have been multiplying, especially in Africa. It goes a long way towards initiating people to poetry and celebrating it in the open. It has to be encouraged, funded and cheered. The street rounds out the list of Poetry’s best allies. It dynamizes creativity. More generally, popular poetic events function as necessary counterparts to the page.

• Poets are universal beings. Is it possible hazarding the “creative temperament” of poets across political climes? If yes, please compare poets in Nigeria and that of your country especially in terms of how they engage society via their poems.

 By nature, poetry is a bond across barriers, be they geographical, political, religious or any other. It reflects an inner or/and global humanist vision of the world shared through artistically articulated words that overstep the socio-economic and political concerns of our leaders. Poets at their best offer a more creative and enlarged vision of the human stakes involved in the functioning of both the human person and the human communities. The connecting power of poetry has been enhanced by the new technologies. It seems natural indeed that poets should “hazard” their potent creativity “across political climes”. Not so often as politicians proper, though Africa can boast great poet-statesmen, such as L.S. Senghor. But more often because their creative temperament takes them to the crossroads of state decisions. Victor Hugo’s castigating book of verses, “Les châtiments” remains famous for making a French emperor, Napoleon III, tremble, and for definitely discrediting and weakening his “tyrannical” power. Hugo’s creative might ring words more powerful than imperial discourse and authority, and it probably changed the course of history in the long term. The twenty-four quatrains of a single poem, Paul Eluard’s “Liberté”, written during WWII, also proved that the creative might of a poet can efficiently fight a political system. Actually Eluard never was a political poet. But by subtly handling the persuasive power of anaphora, he inspired and motivated the Résistance movement in occupied France. By the sheer force of his invigorating creativity, he breathed the spirit of resistance into the freedom fighters’ minds. “With the power of one word, I begin my life again…”, runs the last sentence of the poem parachuted over the French Maquis.  His text became a symbol of unity and victory over the invaders and actively contributed to liberating France from Nazi rule. His poem, which spurred the liberation spirit, is still studied in every good school of the French Republic today. Poetry, running like blood along the arteries of society, often proves able to do what politics, entangled in too many daily issues, cannot achieve. Poets are visionaries. They deal with the human heart. Their might ought to be reckoned with, because it is a constructive one.

• Poets in Nigeria is foremost in promoting what has come to be known as poetry renaissance in our country and across our shores. What do you have to say in this regard

“Poets in Nigeria” has taken it to heart to gather, encourage, reveal, reward a new generation of Nigerian poets, and offer them a whole array of opportunities. Most importantly, it is involved in uplifting the spirit of young talents that may feel lost in this materialistic world. Through many initiatives, ranging from Poetry prizes, journals, performances, festivals and more, PIN has become a renowned organization dedicated to furthering the interests of the Muse. The tremor is now being felt beyond Nigerian shores, more particularly inside the Commonwealth. Proof is amply made that poets are true actors of public life. I have no doubts it is just a beginning.

 

• Brigitte Poirson Poetry Contest (BPPC) is highly recognised in Nigeria for which you deserve a national award. How do you manage to keep sponsoring this initiative?

As a French universal citizen, I like to cut across borders, especially when they tend to become barriers. Nigeria has been listed as one of the “red flag countries” in recent years. Consequently, banks are becoming extremely wary of making individual transactions with Nigeria. Western Union, for instance, immediately block any transfer! I do hope the situation will evolve favourably, so that Nigeria can be restored to its true place in the concert of nations (for other reasons than petrol). May poetry, the one that can reboot a sense of values, play its role there. May the epidemic of violence become an epidemic of poetry. More than ever, it is an honour to sponsor the BBPC contest, despite increased difficulties.  Serving the joint causes of poets and of the Muse and advancing their interests take up most of my energy today. My pleasure.

• Is the Brigitte Poirson Poetry Contest (BPPC) in Nigeria known in your country? Do you support similar initiative in your country?

To my great dismay, no one seems to be interested in the BPPC here in France. Neither close friends, nor officials, nor fellow writers. I must admit the language problem remains a hindrance. Apparently, people feel more concerned with illegal immigration than poetry…       She is a freak…?

But I do support various initiatives in poetry here in France. France organizes the Spring of Poets every year around the international Poetry Day. With a group of fellow writers, we sponsor and support a school involved in poetry contests on the national theme. This year’s theme, Courage, was swallowed by the Covid monster. Next year we will stand by this school’s side again to celebrate Desire.

Occasionally too, when we invest festival halls or local townhalls to hold our “literary salons”, signing our books offers opportunities to discuss poetry and…spread the word!

• You certainly have thousands of fans in Nigeria who are excited that you survived COVID-19. How did you make it?
  

How did I survive Covid-19? All on my own. WRR has published “Corona-tion Street”, a text I wrote just after the experience. For those who might be interested, it can be downloaded via https://www.wrr.ng/download/surviving-corona-tion-street/

• Have you ever visited Nigeria? If no, what plans? 

I have visited Tunisia and South Africa, but not Nigeria. It is pretty hard to get a visa for Nigeria these days, unless you have some commercial reason to go there. I do hope it becomes possible soon.

I stan African poetry! I stan Nigerian poets!

• Your acceptance to be part of this Interview session is highly appreciated. Please leave us with few lines from any poem you have written (Max 10 lines)
  

 

Thank you