Article Submitted by : Isabelle Lépine, M.A., Enseignante de langue seconde, Directrice associée au Département des langues (pilier du bilinguisme), Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean
Thanks to the Alumni Association support, RMC Saint-Jean held their first Poetry Contest this year. Students had to submit a French poem written according to a specific theme (FORCE) and criteria.
Poetry is a form of literary art that utilizes the aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning and emotional responses.It is a type of artistic writing that aims to stir a reader’s imagination or emotions through carefully chosen language and its arrangement for meaning, sound, and rhythm. Poetry can be narrative, dramatic, or lyric, and it often uses elements like meter, rhyme, and imagery to create a unique and evocative experience for the reader.
Why a Poetry Contest ?
– Encourage cadets to develop a love of language, subtle nuances and symbolic language
– Promote a social image of the military officer capable of spiritual reflection, introspection, sensitivity and humor
– Promote creativity
The winner was Benjamin Lambert with his winning poem below:
Sengoku jidai – Le vent de la Guerre
Le vent du printemps
vitalise l’âme guerrière
et signale la mort
Samouraï renait
se composent les poèmes
prévoit le combat
Le paysan troque
sa houe contre une lance
délaisse les champs
Chevaux au galop
souffle l’honneur du vassal
à travers la plaine
Veille de bataille
saké don de plaisir
apaise l’âme
Fraîcheur matinale
réchauffée par les ferveurs
braves combattants
L’arc du daimyo
déclare les hostilités
d’une seule flèche
L’orage éclate
sur les plaines s’affrontent
âmes martiales
Le typhon mortel
apporte la victoire
à l’être vertueux
Le cygne s’envole
la noirceur arrive
aux champs éternels
L’honneur conquis
les lames disparaissent
le printemps trépasse