Dear reader,
Gauloises cigarettes were launched in France in 1910 by the state tobacco monopoly SEITA and became a symbol of French identity, particularly after WW1, known for their strong, dark, unfiltered tobacco and signature blue packs with a winged helmet design.
The brand evolved with the introduction of filtered cigarettes in the 1950s and American-style blends in the 1980s, but remained an iconic cultural symbol associated with French artists, intellectuals and the working classes.
Gauloises became intertwined with French art and intellectual life, they were smoked by Pablo Picasso, Jean Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus.
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From Gerard Manley Hopkins October 5th 1897 in Lancashire
'A goldencrested wren had got into my bedroom at night and circled round dazzled by the gaslight on the white ceiling; when caught even and put out it would come in again. Ruffling the crest which is mounted over the crown and eyes like beetle-brows, I smoothed and fingered the little orange and yellow feathers which are hidden in it. Next morning I found many of these about the room and enclosed them in a letter to Cyril (his brother) on his wedding day.'
From Francis Kilvert October 7th 1874 in Radnorshire
' For some time I have been trying to find the right word for the shimmering glancing twinkling movement of the poplar leaves in the sun and the wind. This afternoon I saw the word written on the poplar leaves. It was 'dazzle'. The dazzle of the poplars.'
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Stations
are full of people,
people angry, people joyful
people sad, people anxious,
people disappointed,
people running,
people excited,
old people,
young people,
middle aged people
the odd dog
Stations are full
of smoke
the smell of frying onions
gauloise cigarettes
pigeons
lost luggage
people hurrying to and fro
the crashing of doors
noise and emotion
Stations
are the beginning
or the end
the alpha
the omega
*
With best wishes, Patricia
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