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Gustave Kahn

Gustave Kahn (1859-1936) was a French Symbolist poet.

Kahn claimed to have invented the term vers libre, or free verse; he was in any case one of the first European exponents of the form; he wrote rhymed verse as well. His principal publications include Les Palais nomades, 1887, Domaine de Fée, 1895, and Le Livre d'Images, 1897. Kahn also made a valuable contribution to the history of the movement with his book Symbolistes et décadents, 1902. Several of his poems were set to music by the composer Charles Loeffler[?].

Quotation:

Les Paons

Se penchant vers les dahlias,
Des paons cabraient des rosaces lunaires,
L'assouplissement des branches vénère
Son pâle visage aux mourants dahlias.

Elle écoute au loin les brèves musiques
Nuit claire aux ramures d'accords,
Et la lassitude a bercé son corps
Au rythme odorant des pures musiques.

Les paons ont dressé la rampe ocellée
Pour la descente de ses yeux vers le tapis
De choses et de sens
Qui va vers l'horizon, parure vermiculée
De son corps alangui.
En l'âme se tapit

le flou désir molide récits et d'encens.

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