Twenty-six pupils have carefully copied, in regulation cursive script, in their homework diaries: "Friday. Poetry book. Recite."
Le cahier de poesie - the poetry book - is a standard-format exercise book required by every primary school child in France. Ninety-four mixed pages, lined and blank. The lined - for the pupil to copy out the text of a poem. The blank - for them to provide an illustration.
They'll copy out, illustrate, learn by heart and recite - in front of the class - poems ranging from La Chanson de Roland, an epic from the 11th Century, to poems written just a few months ago. And rest assured, no-one will escape a thorough knowledge of the 17th Century fables of Jean de la Fontaine.There's a typically rigorous marking system for handwriting, drawing, tone and expression and, most importantly, memory. You'll sail through with neat handwriting and perfect recall, but flunk entirely if you're a scatty, messy, budding Matisse.
One by one, in turn, pupils walk up to the blackboard, take a deep breath and begin. Twenty-six renderings of the same poem by Pierre Gamarra, in the same high-pitched sing-song voice:
"Mon cartable sent l'orange,/ le bison et le nougat,
il sent tout ce que l'on mange,/ et ce qu'on ne mange pas."
My schoolbag smells of orange,/ bison and nougat,
it smells of things we eat,/ and things we don't.
