Paulin Joachim. Benin (1931- ).

Paulin Joachim was born in Cotonou, Dahomey (Benin) in 1931 and was educated in Dahomey, Gabon, and Lyon, France. After leaving Catholic University Law School in Lyon due to lack of funds, Joachim became secretary to the French poet Philippe Soupault, active in several student journals, and eventually received his Diplôme de l'École Supérieure de Journalisme in Paris. Joachim became Political Editor of France Noir and Editor-In-Chief of Bingo in 1960. In 1971, then a French citizen, Joachim became Manager of the illustrated journal of Africa, Décennie 2. Joachim has published two volumes of poetry entitled Un nègre raconte (1954) and Anti-grâce (1967) as well as numerous essays and poems in the acclaimed journal Présence africaine.

Joachim revered the contribution of David Diop as reflected in his poem of homage. His work reflects this in its bold, crisp style. However, Joachim's work is clearly influenced by the surrealism of his sometime mentor, Philippe Soupault. This blend of styles adds a romantic quality not present in the work of many of his African contemporaries. Clearly captured by the emotional force of the poetry medium, Joachim's work is engaging not for the rebelliousness of Diop or Senghor but for his exploration of the pathos of the human soul.

To David Diop, Lines 1-12

and it is true we are wounded
    at the lowest point of hope
but hope in us has never beaten its wing
it rises on our human horizons
    like a fresh unfolding bud
there lives in us unconquerable hope
    snapping at the heels of freedom
in due course it hunts down the dawn with huge supplies
of stones
against the wall that will crack in the end
for we will not leave the smallest scrap
    to the demons of despair

Anti-grace, lines 11-21

anti-grace
a life dismal and congealed
like an enormous hernia drooping from a tripe-stall
I call anti-grace
that epileptic pendulum sprung from the Angel's malice
swinging back and forth
passing into the sun and passing into the shade
powerless to shatter History
and to reach the privileged rock where the Spirit has set
his seed which binds and loosens
powerless to rise from its offense

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