Perse, << pehrs, >> Saint-John (1887-1975), was the pen name of Alexis Leger, a French poet and diplomat. He received the Nobel Prize for literature in 1960.
Perse was born in the West Indies. Until World War II, he led a dual existence. Under his real name, he became secretary-general of the French ministry of foreign affairs. Under his pen name, he published the epic poem Anabase (Anabasis, 1924). After German forces occupied France in 1940, Perse went into exile in the United States. It was not until this time that the true identity of “Saint-John Perse” became known.
Perse remained in Washington, D.C., until 1959, and he wrote most of his poetry there–Exil (Exile), Vents (Winds), Amers (Seamarks), and Chronique. This poetry sings of human experience, using a rich ceremonial style. Through the interplay of abundant and varied images, Perse tries to convey the immediate presence of “man in the fullness of his being.”
