Fe-Lines: French Cat Poems through the Ages

The French have long had a love affair with the cat, expressed through centuries of poetry portraying the animal’s wit and wonder. Norman R. Shapiro lionizes the feline’s limitless allure in this one-of-a-kind collection. Spanning centuries and styles, he draws on she-cats and toms, and an honor roll of French poets, well known and lesser known, who have served as their devoted champions. He reveals the remarkable range of French cat poems, with most works presented here for the first time in English translation. Scrupulously devoted to evoking the meaning and music of the originals, Shapiro also respects the works’ formal structures. Pairing Shapiro’s translations with Olga Pastuchiv’s elegant illustrations, Fe-Lines guides the reader through the marvels and inscrutabilities of the Mystique feline.