Paris 2015: Cimetière parisien de Bagneux #8: Jehan-Rictus

'Voui, dormir... n'pus jamais rouvrir
Mes falots sanglants su'la Vie,
Et dès lorss ne pus rien savoir
Des espoirs ou des désespoirs,

Qu'ça soye ou ben l'matin,
Qu'y fass'e moins noir dans mon destin,
Dormir longtemps... dormir... dormir !

JEHAN-RICTUS
1867 – 1933

LES SOLILOQUES DU PAUVRE
LE COEUR POPULAIRE'

One of the most interesting graves in Bagneux is that of the poet Jehan-Rictus. Rictus was born Gabriel Randon de Saint-Amand, and his poetry is his transcription of the Parisian working-class dialect of the day. The verses above are from his Déception ('Disapointment'), and the two books mentioned contain his major works: they deal with the plight of the homeless (Les Soliloques du pauvre), and workers, prostitutes, beaten children, burglars, etc (Le Cœur populaire).