Paris, France — On the eve of the spring equinox, another spring is in full swing in Paris, in France and beyond, the Springtime of Poets (Le Printemps des Poètes), which is being held for the 28th time this year. Until March 31st, poetry will reign supreme throughout the land with thousands of events organised in France and some 50 countries around the world.  Poetry anthologies are brought out by publishing houses, myriad poetry poetry is highlighted in schools, poetry is displayed throughout the Parisian and Greater Paris public transportation system visible to some 8 million passengers daily, are among the celebrations. Even French florists are getting into the act with a Poetic Flowers event. Poetry workshops and readings are on the agenda throughout the month in hospitals and psychiatric wards. This year’s theme is freedom and French actress Isabelle Adjani is the event’s patron this year. 

Marking the spring equinox, a national poetry reading will be conducted on March 20th, inviting 11 million French students to read a poem about freedom written by the 19th century French author Jules Renard, The Cage without Birds, which comes from his Nature Stories and begins like this « Felix does not understand how people can keep birds in cages. ‘It’s a crime,’ he says, ‘like picking flowers. Personally, I’d rather sniff them on their stems — and birds are meant to fly, the same way.’ » The Scriptorium of the Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey will welcome a poetic fresco and a sound installation in several languages, voices and styles. And even the European Space Agency is on board when French astronaut Sophie Adenot, only the second French woman to fly into space, headed to the International Space Station, poetry in hand last February 14th. She will also preside over the poetry competition for youngsters aged 5 to 15 entitled Space and Dream organised by the French publishing house Milan, the CNES (France’s National Space centre and the Springtime of Poets (Le Printemps des Poètes). ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette. Le Printemps des Poètes: Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal,1, rue de Sully, 75004, Paris. http://www.printempsdespoetes.com