7 August 2014

Gérard Godin in Montréal, Québec

On a wall on a building slightly to the back of the Métro Mont-Royal are the lines of a poem by Gérard Godin, which is one of a number of prominent literary references in Montréal:

'Tango de Montréal

Sept heures et demie du matin métro de Montréal
c'est plein d'immigrants
ça se lève de bonne heure
ce monde-là

le vieux cœur de la ville
battrait-il donc encore
grâce à eux

ce vieux cœur usé de la ville
avec ses spasmes
ses embolies
ses souffles au coeur
et tous ses défauts

et toutes les raisons du monde qu'il aurait
de s'arrêter
de renoncer'

2 comments:

sanda said...

Hello, I came upon your most interesting blog during a search for information about T.S. Stribling. As a result, found your blog posts of your Southern US literary tour back in 2009. Interesting stuff! Loved it! I live in the southern state of Alabama, specifically Lauderdale County, the setting for Stribling's trilogy have completed first two and about to read Unfinished Cathedral. You are a prolific blogger! I will return and read more in the future. I have a blog, Halcyon Days, www.sanda-halcyondays.blogspot.com
Have a great day, ya'll

Dr Tony Shaw said...

Many thanks for this, Sanda. Since 2009 I've been disappointed not to have managed to visit the little Stribling room in Clifton, although I really must get round to reading more of the man's work.

You know, you're a pretty prolific blogger yourself and I've just been looking at a few things on your blog: very interesting, and I too shall return to yours!