I Met a Poet in the Garden: Abder Zegout

In the Botanical Garden in Paris, I met Abder Zegout, a French poet, born in Algeria. He has lived in Paris since 1999, and gets his inspiration from nature and daily experiences. He says his themes are also drawn from the political and economic situation of the times. But mainly, as the titles of his books of poetry reveal, ‘I express feelings and emotions for readers.’ He added that his main inspiration for writing was his mother.

Zegout has 17 books of poetry, two of which are Exubérance (2015) and Errance – Wandering (2012). Exuberance includes illustrations by French artist Micheline Masse. Micheline Masse (1932-2017) is described as a ‘wandering artist with a need to paint.’

Written in French, there are a couple of poems in English, including one about his mother, whom he had to leave behind when he moved to Paris:

In your warm shelter I have grown,

Motherly mark was on my daily life.

To keep alive, exile was the road to take.

A sad end! When shall we meet again?

MARTINA NICOLLS

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MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of: The Paris Residences of James Joyce (2020), Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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