"In Spite of Everything": Annie Freud reading her translation of Jacques Tornay

Introduction to Jacques Tornay by Annie Freud, published in MPT 'Profound Pyromania'. I met Jacques Tornay in 2016 at HeadRead, the International Literary Festival of Estonia. Sitting in the audience, listening to poems in many languages which are foreign to me, I was suddenly transported by the familiar sounds of the French language. Having been brought up on the poems of Ronsard, Du Bellay, Lamartine and de Regnier, I had the sensation of inhabiting that part of myself that breathes, hears and dreams in French. While the poet spoke, the hubbub of chairs and glasses quietened and I was overtaken by an irresistible smile. For those who don’t know him, Tornay is a French-speaking Swiss writer, journalist and translator. His work includes poetry, short stories, aphorisms and biography. He is the author of numerous books and has been the recipient of prestigious prizes. It was no surprise to learn of his love for Rilke, the poet I am most reminded of when reading his work. Set in the stark landscapes of his native country, these are poems of introspection and of the enigma of the self. They explore opposing states of being human: serenity, anxiety; enlightenment, delusion; conviction, uncertainty; mundanity, exaltation – and their ephemeral nature. Yet in spite of their apparent focus on the ‘grand’ themes, these poems are rooted in the everyday. Whether recalling the delight on fi nding a wild plum lying on his path, the smell of pickled cabbage, or a pair of sandals le on a step, the reader is aware not only of a richness of thought but also of their unique quality of stoicism. They off er the reader an ‘arm to steer a path though Winter’. I am proud to call him a friend. Grandeur nature (2003), Gains de causes (2009) and Feuilles de présence (2006) by Jacques Tornay are available from Éditions l’Arrière-Pays. h p://www.larrièrepays.fr/ ____ ANNIE FREUD is the author of three poetry collections published by Picador: The Best Man That Ever Was, The Mirabelles and The Remains. She is one of the Next Generation Poets 2014, named by the Poetry Book Society.