Christopher Perret

Poet Christopher Peret, French American (1930-1965)

Christopher Perret was born June 26th 1930 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. The son of a French artist, Rene Perret and American wife Frances, nee Roach. Perret and Leni Sinclair met onboard the ship “Provence” headed for Genoa, Italy just after the March on Washington on August 28, 1963. At the time of departure in early September, Perret was living with his brother in New York City. After an onboard romance, they traveled together through Europe and briefly settled in Deya on the island of Mallorca at the home of artist Mati Klarwein. Perret’s artwork was used for the Journal, published by the AWS press and a planned but unpublished book with Leni Sinclair.

In a book of poetry given to Leni Sinclair, Perret wrote all the cities they traveled to and lived in; 1963: “Lyden, Chatham, London, NYC, Genoa, Frienze, Paris, Bruxelles, Hamburg, Berlin, Perpignan, Port-Bou, Barcelona, Deya (Mallorca). (met Magdalena Arndt in September on board NYC “Provence”–to whom this book belongs.

Perret’s writings and illustrations appeared in magazines in Poesie Vivante (Geneva), Botteghe Oscure (Italy), Elwood Review, (Connecticut). He had a one man show in 1961. He bought out two volumes of poems. “Blood and other Poems” (London, Outposts Publication, 1963) and “Memoirs of a Parasite” (Hors Commerce Press, California, 1965). At the time of his death he was working on his first full-length novel, Homus and on translations of the Modern French Surrealist poets for a New Directions Anthology.

He went to school in France and then the United States, graduating in 1947. He served as a merchant seaman in the Caribbean then joined the U.S. army in Germany. Attended the Institute des Sciences Politiques of the Sorbonne in the early ’50s. A frame maker and finisher by profession, he focused on poetry from an early age. His writings and illustrations appeared in magazines; Poesie Vivante (Geneva), Botteghe Oscure (Italy), and Wormwood Review, (Connecticut). He had a one man show in 1961 and bought out two volumes of poems. “Blood and other Poems” (London, Outposts Publication, 1963) and “Memoirs of a Parasite” (Hors Commerce Press, California, 1965). At the time of his death he was working on his first full-length novel, Homus and on translations of the Modern French Surrealist poets for a New Directions Anthology.

Perret died from a heart attack on 6th December 1965 in Deya, Mallorca.He was married twice and had two sons, Jason and Jonathan.

THE MASK

Play at my Breast
Light on my lip.
and let our laugh
combine

For I detest
when you let slip
that other half
in mine

Christopher Perret, London, 1963