THE WARBLER

SERVANT OF GOD MARIE NOEL ROUGET (Auxerre, 16 February 1883 – 23 December 1967) a French poet, iconsidered one of the greatest Christian poetesses in history, was affectionately called "the Warbler of Auxerre".

Born in 1883, Marie Noël came from a well-educated family that respected Catholic heritage but did not go above and beyond what was required of them, attending services when needed. Her father, Louis Rouget, was an agrégé in philosophy and a professor at the Collège d' Auxerre teaching both philosophy and art history. Her mother, Marie-Émélie-Louise Barat, was a devout Christian who was naturally happier and more outgoing than her husband. Her family originated in Auxerre and had been river companions since the 1400s. They then became ship carpenters, and, in the 18th century, building contractors.

Two events paved the way for who she would become: the sudden death of her twelve-year-old brother and a disappointment in love that forced her to focus on her interior life and depriving her of the joy of love.  She could be called a poet of hope.

 Marie Noël was a deeply religious and even mystical woman, but she was also a passionate and tormented person. She is often only recognized for her "traditional song" works, which diminishes the literary value and emotional depth of her darker writings. One such poem is "Howl," which is the title of another of her poems, and it depicts the true "howl" of a mother torn between her almost animal suffering and her faith in God's acceptance. Based on Jeanne-Marie Baude's reading of the Notes intimes, this passage highlights a particularly emotion torn between faith and despair that culminates in a blasphemous outburst immediately repented.

 She was consumed by a constant inner turmoil, torn between her deep thirst for God’s love and presence and guilt over her lack of complete trust in him. Her work illustrates the difficult coexistence between the longing for eternal life and the painful mourning of the earthly life. Her writing was her main outlet yet often she could find no relief and would be bedridden for weeks at a time.

It was with the help of her spiritual director, Father Arthur Mugnier, who was known as the “confessor of the whole of Paris”, that she could channel, some of her pain and anxiety into her creation. She needed to be guided and supported and Father Mugnier gave her this focus.

 Father Mugnier’s indispensable role in supporting her vocation was recently brought to light by the publication, in 2018, of their more than 20 years of correspondence. This collection of letters offers an indispensable account of the religious, political and cultural turmoil of their time, and highlights the greatness of two souls that marked their century.

Father Mugnier remained a strong supporter of Marie Noël’s poetry until his death in 1944, calling her “our only, our true Christian poet.”  She could be called a poet of hope.

 

Among the intellectuals she corresponded with during her period were Henry de Montherlant, François Mauriac, Jean Cocteau, Colette and Marthe Bibesco. She was also a close friend of French diplomat Léon Noël. In 1960, she was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature by the literary critic Maurice Bémol.

Her poetry is known for its lyrical quality and evocative imagery, drawing the reader into her world of experience. Nature often serves as a backdrop and source of inspiration in her work, reflecting her spiritual outlook. 

 Her long poem “Song of Easter” typifies this pull of earthly longing.

What is Spring, O Jesus, my sweet Master?

The Angel of revolt perhaps

Who changes at a glance both the earth and the waters

To seduce me and make me restless and rebellious,

-- I, who should be a quiet chapel to You --

                                                  Like the grass and the twigs.

…………………………..

 But this morning the Angel stirred the stone,

            O You standing in the light,

Resurrected from the dawn to the feet color of time,

You who in the garden met Mary,

What will You do, gardener of Easter in bloom,

To defend me from Spring?

Having become almost blind, she died peacefully on 23 December 1967, having taken Holy Communion one last time. Her funeral took place at Église Saint-Pierre d'Auxerre and she was buried in the family grave in the Saint-Amâtre cemetery in Auxerre.

 In 2017, the Archbishop of Sens-Auxerre Hervé Giraud officially opened her cause for beatification.

Hanging On In There: An Essay in Meaning (Selected Poems) January 2022 publ. by Cluny Press- Pauline Matarasso (Translator), Eric Varden (Foreward).  Bishop Varden is a Norwegian Catholic prelate, spiritual writer, and Trappist monk. He has served as Bishop of Trondheim since 2020.