[Fr] Dorénavant sur le blog... ¤ [En] From now on on my blog...

[Fr]

[En]

... Les articles seront bilingues.  Comme je sais pertinemment que certains d'entre vous sont allergiques à l'anglais, n'en ont que de vague souvenirs d'école ou n'ont tout simplement envie de lire en Anglais, dorénavant, les articles seront rédigés d'abord en Français - ma langue maternelle, puis en Anglais - ma langue de coeur.  Vous n'aurez plus, chers lecteurs Français ou Francophones, à vous demander ce que je me peux bien baragouiner en anglais. Pas de jaloux !  Votre Hôte,  BJO

... Articles will be in both languages.  I bear in mind that some of you are allergic to French, vaguely remember anything from school or do not feel like reading in French, so from now on, the articles will be written first in French - my Mother-tongue, and then in English - my "Heart-tongue".  You, dear English or English-speaking readers, won't have to wonder what I could be jabbering about in French anymore. No need to be jealous!  Your Host,  BJO

[En] Once Upon A Time...

... there was a competition run by the University of Portsmouth.

The Creative Writing in a Foreign Language (CWFL).

My Master Thesis Advisor sent me a link. I didn't check it out at first. Don't ask me why. I looked into  it only a few days later.

Reactions:

1. first thought: "Neat! I've never thought of a writing competition in English!"
2. second thought: I realized the person sending me this link was no other than my Master Thesis Advisor; then I was like "Damn, for her to send me this, she must believe in my ability to win something."
3. a damn strong sense of pride overwhelmed me afterwards.

I'm not gonna make a repeat of my previous post. I'm just gonna give you its guideline.

November 2012, 2nd or 3rd week.

A very British English Professor of mine assigned us a creative writing exercise: compose an iambic pentameter poem.

November 2012, 25th.

The first draft of a poem. Still, it didn't feel right.

First and only trip to an English-speaking country. Just for a few hours in Canterbury (too bad I couldn't take a look inside the cathedral). Unfortunately, but hey... it's still better than none whatsoever!

Change of air.

Change of land.

Change of language.

Nothing better to cure some lack of inspiration!

I must admit, the second crossing of the Channel was kinda weird. Going back to France was like stepping into a foreign country. Weird huh ?

Nostalgia was there. The inspiration with it. The first draft of my poem turned into a ten iambic pentameter poem. 

October 2012, 1st week.

I certainly was proud of my work on this poem, but I never would have thought my very British English Professor could have been impressed to no end by it. And yet, he did! Hurrah for me!

Though, the poem still needed a few small modifications.

April 2013, 2nd.

Reception of the link.

June 2013, 6th.

Entry submission for CWFL:

I had enough. Of those, I want no more.

I'm done. No need for self-inflicted pain.

I have to shut away those treasured thoughts,

At least for now. I've got to let you go.

A lonely walk at night, it takes no more :

A scent of burning wood, of earth, of rain,

A strong and goodly mix, a soothing feeling

I revel in; a breeze in moonlight glow.

And let's pretend I'm not a sorry mess,

A soulless ghost who wanders by herself.

July 2013, 23th.

Reception of a mail with this list of winners enclosed. Winners and commendations are to be published in the University's anthology of Creative Writing in a Foreign Language, Tonguefreed.

July 2013, 25th.

Prize Award Ceremony I couldn't decently attend to, organized by the

August 2013, 1st week.

Reception at home of the prize I sadly couldn't get in person.

Ok, I'm bragging a bit, but hey... it's something big for a French poet to be recognized as an author in English too! That's a big deal!

And since I'm the only French-speaking student, French being their mother-tongue, winning something: three cheers for France!

My real name is blurred for a reason. I use it as a translator.

Here, I'm BJO, a poet who sometimes plays around with a camera.

This was the story behind this first won prize!