Writing, painting, music, but also sculpture, cooking, knitting, and many other arts— this is what our association aims to promote and bring together. A poem by Martin Decreuze expresses it thus:

le sang des mots
(the blood of words)
le sens des mots
(the meaning of words)
le vagabondage des mots
(the wandering of words)
la débandade des mots
(the rout of words)
la sarabande des mots
(the saraband of words)
le tricotage des mots
(the knitting of words)
le colportage des mots
(the peddling of words)
le déminage des mots
(the demining of words)
l’évanescence des mots
(the evanescence of words)
la jouissance des mots
(the pleasure of words)
et de tous ceux qui tissent des romans, de la poésie….
et nous emportent dans leur sillage
(and of all those who weave novels, poetry… and carry us away in their wake)
Mad

This needs to be explained

THE BLOOD OF WORDS
A language is alive. It refers to culture, speech and subjectivity.
Words sometimes cause disagreements, conflicts and even hurt.
Blood refers to the art of sword fighting, to masters of arms.

THE MEANING OF WORDS
This is the work when it is the subject of a study (with authors in residence, for example). Meaning is linked to language, intention, regionalism, customs and traditions, and history.

THE WANDERING OF WORDS
This refers to reading for pleasure, to a collection that seeks to bring together what is scattered and dispersed. These are rumours, gossip.
It is letting words flow through free, inspired, automatic writing.

THE STAMPEDE OF WORDS
This is what we say without thinking, to play, to provoke, to entertain ourselves.
It refers to laughter, parties, banquets, and dancing.

THE SARABAND OF WORDS
Words or songs, when accompanied by music, especially dance.

THE KNITTING OF WORDS
This is the knitting workshop where we create a piece of work based on practice and techniques.
In writing, it can be the subject of a haiku workshop to reinvent language.

THE COLPORTAGE OF WORDS
This is the remote writing workshop, with other members or associations (Petite Suisse du Nord, Bourgogne, Minervois, Morocco) with the aim of creating exchanges and connections.
It is the Libre Perchoir, free speech on Chouette Radio.

THE DEMINING OF WORDS
This refers to a process of reflection on relational dysfunctions within
groups: the impact of ego, the spirit of domination, impulses, passions…
How can conflicts be defused? How can we practise gentle commerce?

THE EVANESCENCE OF WORDS
This is what touches on creativity, poetry, art, taste and delicacy.
To live performances, to shows where these arts are orchestrated with finesse.

WORDS AS PLEASURE
This is the art of speaking well, rhetoric, pronunciation, diction.
It combines this with a picturesque setting that leans itself to it (landscape, garden, castle, wash house). Words as pleasure.

(Many thanks to Annie Danican for helping us with the English version.)