François Brousse (7 May 1913 – 25 October 1995) was a philosophy professor who had mainly taught in the Languedoc-Roussillon region and is the author of some 80 works including poetry, essays (metaphysical, astronomical, historical and esoteric), novels, plays and storybooks. He was a pioneer of the philosophy cafes that were popping up almost everywhere in France at the end of the 20th century. Brousse was born in Perpignan, France and died in Clamart, France.
Works In his approximately 40 poetry books, François Brousse embodies the role of a poet. In a radio broadcast (1957), he described this role as being the "gardener of humanity": "Since then, I believe in the civilizing mission poets have. He scatters seeds of beauty, admiration, enthusiasm and love in humanity's collective subconscious. These seeds grow slowly and through them, we can witness a soul's development, the only true type of advancement existingJean-Pierre Wenger, François Brousse l'Enlumineur des mondes (François Brousse, The Enlightener of Worlds). (Saint-Cloud: Ed. Danicel productions, 2005), 255.".
In addition to his interest in writing, he was well known in the city of Perpignan for hosting informal meetings in public areas, cafes, herbal stores and special groups, such as the Groupe de la Quatrième Dimension 1950 (The Fourth Dimension Group) and the Association France-Inde 1953. He also contributed to numerous regional magazines such as Madeloc, Sources Vives, Agni, Conflent, Tramontane and so forth.
His knowledge and talent as an orator was visible in conferences that became more frequent after 1963. First held in Prades, then in Perpignan and they finally spread around France, Geneva (Switzerland, 1990) and Tell el-Amarna (Egypt, 1992).
The subjects touched upon in these conferences, which were usually announced in the local press, principally addressed the goal he had given himself in 1945, "One of my earthly missions will be to not only impart the keys to Hugolian esotericism but also the mysteries of Saint John and the secrets of Nostradamus.Charles Amazan [one of the literary pseudonyms of François Brousse], L'Avenir des peuples, (The Future of Humanity), (Perpignan : Printer SINTHE & Co, 25 January 1945), 8."
Seen as an unclassifiable and colorful character from the city, he described himself as "a quiet man." He explained, "I prefer to meditate rather than meet people and be in crowds. I only want to be read because I have an important message to communicate. […] My mission is to relight the blazing flame of poetry, metaphysics and perfection.François Brousse interviewed by François Villée, "L'Apocalypse n'est pas pour demain," (The Apocalypse is not for Tomorrow), magazine L'Inconnu, Paris, No. 50, April 1980."
The daily French local papers, L'Indépendant, Midi Libre, La Dépêche du Midi as well as other regional and national news sources dedicated at least two hundred and fifty articles to him whereas periodical journals came out with more than three hundred other sourcesJean-Pierre Wenger, Conference "François Brousse, Homme-Cosmos du XXe siècle," (François Brousse, the 20th Century Man of the Cosmos) conference SONGE, Montpellier, 26 February 2005. concerning him in some way or another.
"1923–1938" Auroral Poetry
Fantasies (1923–1928) The only child of a French family from Perpignan, François Brousse had a studious and secretive youth. "Already mastering the subtleties of the French language and composing verses, he wrote his first poem 'Soir,’ (Night) 'most likely at the age of ten.'" With extraordinary virtuoso, he also began his first book entitled Fantasies,François Brousse, Fantaisies (Fantasies). Clamart : Ed. La Licorne Ailée, 2000. which he dedicated to his "beloved parents," and finished at the age of fifteen. He had a strong taste for literature, especially poetryJean-Pierre Wenger, François Brousse l’Enlumineur des mondes (François Brousse, The Enlightener of Worlds). (Saint-Cloud: Ed. Danicel productions, 2005.) 22. with five hundred poems, about three thousand verses, three thousand new ones in prose, and some forty drawings and paintings found within Fantasies.
The Tales of the Pigeon and the Source – Jasmine (1927) At the age of fourteen, he wrote The Tales of the Pigeon and the Source,François Brousse, Contes du pigeon et de la source (Tales of the Pigeon and the Source). Revue B.M.P May–June 2004, no. 233-234. Clamart : Ed. La Licorne Ailée, 2000. which touched on "love leading to voluntary self-sacrifice in terms of accepting suffering and the death of one’s belovedJean-Pierre Wenger, François Brousse l’Enlumineur des mondes (François Brousse, The Enlightener of Worlds). (Saint-Cloud : Ed. Danicel productions, 2005.) 27." It was followed by a swordsman novel, Jasmine that occurred at the time of King Louis XIV and the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685).
Auroral or Where my Fairy Lives (1928) To begin to understand what François Brousse saw as "Auroral poetry" (Title of Book VIII), we must first address the poem, "Auroral or Where My Fairy Lives" (date of completion, April 1928). " 'Divine Poetry,’ shows the young poet the works of Ronsard, La Fontaine, Victor Hugo, Leconte de Lisle by a woman with blond hair through air bound travels. The poet asks, "Which of these four beings must I imitate?" The goddess answers, "You will decide for yourself.François Brousse, Fantaisies (Fantasies). (Clamart : Ed. La Licorne Ailée, 2000), 210. "
"Art needs to be free,
The infiniteness of all the heavens,
Eternity must vibrate
To its capricious impulses."
The deeper meaning of this long poem (916 verses) is that everything dies but is also reborn, "animals, humans and plants," and even suns: "Yes, the immortal star has been killed! / But the Infinite gives it life again.François Brousse, "La poésie aurorienne : Aurorienne ou Chez ma Fée" (Auroral Poetry : Auroral or Where my Fairy Lives). Fantaisies (Fantasies) Book VIII. (Clamart: Ed. La Licorne Ailée, 2000), 240. " There is an idea of permanent creation and perpetual rebirth in a collision of merging worlds. At the end of his life, François Brousse confides in the presence of his friends :
"When I was a child, my father had asked me:
What do you want to create?
I answered him :
Auroral Poetry.
He told me :
That is extremely ambitious. You think the Dawn didn’t exist before your Poetry ?
And I told him that the Dawn is perpetually renewed. He told me I was right and he would help me at the bottom of the abyss after he had entered the infinite, the absolute and the eternal.BROUSSE François, « Anniversaire – 07-05-1995 », Revue B. M. P., N°198-202, mars-juillet 2001, Éd. La Licorne Ailée, Clamart."
A Sip of poetry (1928) From all his sources of inspiration and admiration, at a very young age François Brousse finally chose his favorite poet after some hesitation: Victor Hugo. This choice was apparent in the prologue of Une Gorgée de Poésie (A Sip of Poetry) written from May to August 1928. It was an anthology dedicated to Victor Hugo specifying the presence of a seed of poetry within every soul and that "a being without poetry is a being without a soul […] incapable of superhuman feelings.Jean-Pierre Wenger, François Brousse l’Enlumineur des mondes (François Brousse, The Enlightener of Worlds). (Saint-Cloud: Ed. Danicel productions, 2005), 39."
The Poetry of Victor Hugo (c. 1935) In his early writings, François Brousse analyzed the works of Victor Hugo. Brousse reviewed several of Hugo's publications, including Odes et Ballades (Odes and Ballads), Les quatre Vents de l’Esprit (The Four Winds of the Spirit), Le Pape (The Pope), La Pitié suprême (Supreme Mercy), Religions et Religion (Religions and Religion), L’Âne (The Donkey), Toute la Lyre (The Whole Lyre), Dernière Gerbe (Last Gleanings) but he said that the most well written are Les Contemplations (Contemplations), La Légende des siècles (The Legend of the Ages), La Fin de Satan (The End of Satan) and Dieu (God).
Brousse's early notebooks contain personal reflections on his goals as a writer. One specific entry uses a story about a statue to describe his commitment to protecting the reputation of great artists:"When Death places her skeleton hand upon her eyelids, the grateful country makes her grandiose funerals and builds her a statue made of bronze and gold. But a few envious mosquitoes, filled with venom, come and circle around the statue, harassing the giant dreaming under the luminous sky with their miniature stingers. A child passed by. He was an adolescent filled with joy and pride from the glory of Titan, his ancestor. He saw the hideous crowd jeering in the face of the powerful statue. With an indignant and serene gesture, he drove away the revolting whirlwind and kneeled before the great statue, which had been insulted. I will be this child."In this passage, the "child" represents Brousse's belief that a new generation of poets must defend the work of those who came before them. He argued that society needs poets to provide inspiration, later stating that "a people without poets are an earth without a sky."François Brousse, "Anniversaire – 07-05-1995" (05-07-1995 Birthday). Revue B.M.P. no. 198-202. Mar.–July 2001. Clamart: Ed. La Licorne Ailée.François Brousse, "La poésie de Victor Hugo" (The Poetry of Victor Hugo). Revue B.M.P. no. 226-230, Oct.–Dec. 2003 – Jan.–Feb. 2004. Clamart : Ed. La Licorne Ailée."François Brousse, "Bloc mémo – 29 juin 1931" (Memo Pad – 29 June 1931). Revue B.M.P. no. 253-257, Mar.–July 2006. Clamart : Ed. La Licorne Ailée.
The Gods (1930–1932) – The Giants (1932–1938) During his last two years at the Collège de Perpignan (Perpignan Middle School) (1930–1932), François Brousse finished a collection of thirty-five poems entitled Les Dieux (The Gods)François Brousse, Le Rire des dieux (The Laughing of the Gods). Clamart: Ed. La Licorne Ailée, 2006. and started a series of sonnets on Les Colosses (The Giants), presented here by Jean-Pierre Wenger in his biography, François Brousse l’Enlumineur des mondes (François Brousse, The Enlightener of Worlds :
This anthology builds upon a source of inspiration already begun at an earlier time with mythology – mainly Greek – and with Egyptian, Cambodian, Biblical and Hindu traditions. These sonnets bathe their strophes in these unearthly dimensions where humanity’s universal saga is expressed. The reader is transported into the domain of pure ideas made so real that he or she forgets everything else. He simultaneously began "Les Colosses" with the geniuses who civilized humanity: Homer, Aeschylus and Virgil whose enormous physical builds had a distinct influence on the people. It is made up of fifty-seven sonnets. No conquerors are present. Although antique Greece was the author’s preference, he nevertheless did not neglect the Biblical saga with Isaiah and Ezekiel, to which he would subsequently dedicate his studies. Also amongst Les Colosses are some Latin heroes like Tacitus, Juvenal and Virgil who were already ranked in Victor Hugo’s Hall of Humanity in "La Préface de Cromwell" (Cromwell’s Preface) .Jean-Pierre Wenger, François Brousse l’Enlumineur des mondes (François Brousse, The Enlightener of Worlds). (Saint-Cloud: Ed. Danicel productions, 2005), 71.
Julien (1935) – Ganelon (c. 1935) At the Montpellier College of Arts and Languages, where he had registered in 1932, Brousse embarked upon writing two epics: Julien (750 verses, finished 14 April 1935) which recounts a few events in the life of the Roman emperor, Flavius Claudius Julianus (331–363), also known under the name, Julian the Apostate; and most likely Ganelon (2060 verses) about the legendary Song of Roland and Ganelon's betrayal. Roland died in an apotheosis-like destiny while giving his blood "to save the universe" in order to keep the flame of Wisdom and Freedom lighted.
The Lotus Queen – The Awakenings of Lazare (1936)