SOURCE: Higgins, Ian. Introduction to Anthology of Second World War French Poetry, pp. 1-51. London: Methuen, 1982.

In the following excerpt from the introduction to Anthology of Second World War French Poetry, Higgins provides a critical analysis of French war poetry.

Iv Poetry

A remarkable literary feature of the war was the sudden popularity of poetry. Many looked to it, both as readers and as writers, for a crystallization of their suffering and grief. The same was true, though less spectacularly, in Britain. But poetry also had practical advantages for résistants wanting maximum impact in clandestine publications. For instance, it need not take up much space—an important factor if you cannot get your hands on paper (which at that time was severely rationed). Another advantage is that rhythm and rhyme implant poetry more easily in the memory—an important factor when it was dangerous to carry compromising...