Biography

Poète et romancier né en Suisse, BLAISE CENDRARS (1887-1961) est l’auteur de plus de vingtaine d’ouvrages. Célébré pour son influence et sa contribution dans le mouvement moderne, il fut l’ami du poète Guillaume Apollinaire et du peintre Robert Delaunay. Grand voyageur de part le monde, ses aventures en Afrique, en Russie et aux Amériques sont la trame de sa poésie. Il fut associé à une myriade de milieux sociaux différents et il semble avoir eu une grande facilité pour gagner l’affection et la curiosité de tout ceux avec qui il eût l’occasion d’être en contact dans le monde entier. La voix poétique de Cendrars est souvent d’un ton familier, ouvert, maître de la forme française classique autant que visionnaire du vers expérimental avec de la vitesse, de l’invention et d’une profonde intuition.

Swiss poet and novelist BLAISE CENDRARS (1887-1961) is the author of more than twenty books. Celebrated for his influence and contributions to the modernist movement, he was a great friend of Guillaume Apollinaire and Robert Delaunay. Also a constant world traveler, his adventures in Africa, Russia, and the Americas inform the bulk of his poetry. He associated with people in myriad social circles and seemed to have the keen ability to gain the affection and curiosity of those whom he came into contact with around the world. Cendrars’ poetic voice is often conversational, while his range is vast beyond comparison — a master of traditional French forms as well as visionary, experimental verse. In the latter, one often finds a poetry rife with adrenaline, inquisitiveness, and profound investigation.

Z. CODY LEE lives in Montana where he writes, draws, and teaches. He lived in France for several years where he started translating the complete poems of Blaise Cendrars. He is the founding editor of Gendun Editions, a literary fine press, and co-founder of Yes Press, a letterpress venture. His own poetry has appeared in The Colorado Review, Cimarron Review, Camas, Dislocate, and others. He has no pets.