The other day I wrote about how French students learn poetry by heart. Monique, who was a first grade teacher in France for many years wrote:

French students start learning poetry by heart in first grade – which is 6 years old and often earlier! Dame souris trotte (Mrs. Mouse Trots) is often taught in kindergarten. Some teachers teach it as early as 4-5 year old preschool (but they usually take out the 2nd verse).

Below is Dame souris trotte by Paul Verlaine. My English translation follows the French version.

Dame souris trotte

Dame souris trotte
Noire dans le gris du soir ,
Dame souris trotte ,
Grise dans le noir .

On sonne la cloche :
Dormez les bons prisonniers ,
On sonne la cloche ,
Faut que vous dormiez .

Un nuage passe ,
Il fait noir comme en un four ,
Un nuage passe ,
Tiens le petit jour !

Dame souris trotte ,
Rose dans les rayons bleus ,
Dame souris trotte ,
Debout paresseux !

Mrs. Mouse Trots

Mrs. Mouse trots
Black in the gray dusk,
Mrs. Mouse trots
Gray in the darkness.

The bell sounds…
The good prisoners sleep.
The bell sounds…
You should sleep.

A cloud passes,
The sky’s opaque,
A cloud passes,
Look daybreak!

Mrs. Mouse trots,
Pink in blue sunbeams,
Mrs. Mouse trots,
Get up, you lazy!

Monique said that many of the poems at a site called Poemes are used by French teachers. She had her students memorize poem #44 called Pomme et poire at that site.

-Mama Lisa

Many thanks to Monique Palomares, of Mama Lisa’s World en français, for sharing more about the teaching of poetry in French grade school with us.