Chaucerific Love in Paris
On Tuesdays I teach in the neighbourhood of the Saint Sulpice. It took me a while to notice them, but a couple of weeks ago they first drew my attention. Graffiti here and there on the pavement, someone had written "Amour." all over the neighbourhood, handwritten (or possibly a stencil?), white paint.
And isn't that such a Geoff thing to do? Totally my first thought. Yep, Geoff's hanging around the Saint Sulpice. I'm on the lookout for a tall skinny bloke or some insane red hair.
This week I took Joey's digital camera with me to take a few pictures. How could I not? I love these graffiti.
Amour au Parcmètre
I like the contrast between the hastily drawn silver graffiti on the parking meter and the unassuming, precise, smaller "Amour." on the ground.
Amour Ecolier
This one is right next to a primary school. Usually when I leave the place is full of kids (hence the railing on the pavement), but I must've left a bit earlier or later today, since it was desert. And I was able to take the picture unbothered.
Amour au Lampadaire
This one, too, is right next to the school. Usually kids are playing around that lamppost.
Amour Effacé
This one is in front of another parking meter. It's mostly faded, but I love it.
Amour Récent
This one was, I think, added this past week. It's right in front of a shop for very expensive furniture and jewelry, the kind of store I can't see myself setting foot in ever. I like that this one is in the very middle of the pavement and slanted, as if the person leaving them were growing bolder with time, no longer huddling them close to posts or parking meters, or alining them with lines in the pavement.
Amour Religieux
This one is right in front of a Christian bookshop. It makes me smile each time. Yes, you religious zealots, this is your friendly reminder that your religion is supposed to be about love, not intolerance. (Not that all Christians are about intolerance. But some, yes, quite.)
Amour Libraire
This one is right in front of an old bookshop. And by old bookshop I actually mean old book shop. I've never seen it open, it's guarded by that rusty old off-white grid you can see the bottom of here. There are some beautiful ancient books on display in the window. It's exactly the kind of place where Geoff would come to spend hours in and find precious rare editions.
Amour à Vélo
This is my favourite one, for some reason. It's at the corner of a tiny little side street which probably doesn't see many passers-by. One of the first I noticed. Usually bike-less, obviously.
Amour à la Gouttière
This one is just a few feet ahead of the previous one, in the larger street the small one cuts into.
Amour Renversé
And this one is on the main avenue, lots of traffic, right under a billboard... that way it won't be stepped on.
Amour au Café
This one is right next to the... Café du Métro, I think? The café that's right next to a metro entrance, anyway.
Now, I need to find some chalk and leave a message next to one of them to Geoff the person who left them. Because whoever they are, I want to know why they're doing this and what gave them this idea and why there and and and. I just want to know them. And all the wherefores and whys that come with the graffiti.
And isn't that such a Geoff thing to do? Totally my first thought. Yep, Geoff's hanging around the Saint Sulpice. I'm on the lookout for a tall skinny bloke or some insane red hair.
This week I took Joey's digital camera with me to take a few pictures. How could I not? I love these graffiti.
Amour au Parcmètre
I like the contrast between the hastily drawn silver graffiti on the parking meter and the unassuming, precise, smaller "Amour." on the ground.
Amour Ecolier
This one is right next to a primary school. Usually when I leave the place is full of kids (hence the railing on the pavement), but I must've left a bit earlier or later today, since it was desert. And I was able to take the picture unbothered.
Amour au Lampadaire
This one, too, is right next to the school. Usually kids are playing around that lamppost.
Amour Effacé
This one is in front of another parking meter. It's mostly faded, but I love it.
Amour Récent
This one was, I think, added this past week. It's right in front of a shop for very expensive furniture and jewelry, the kind of store I can't see myself setting foot in ever. I like that this one is in the very middle of the pavement and slanted, as if the person leaving them were growing bolder with time, no longer huddling them close to posts or parking meters, or alining them with lines in the pavement.
Amour Religieux
This one is right in front of a Christian bookshop. It makes me smile each time. Yes, you religious zealots, this is your friendly reminder that your religion is supposed to be about love, not intolerance. (Not that all Christians are about intolerance. But some, yes, quite.)
Amour Libraire
This one is right in front of an old bookshop. And by old bookshop I actually mean old book shop. I've never seen it open, it's guarded by that rusty old off-white grid you can see the bottom of here. There are some beautiful ancient books on display in the window. It's exactly the kind of place where Geoff would come to spend hours in and find precious rare editions.
Amour à Vélo
This is my favourite one, for some reason. It's at the corner of a tiny little side street which probably doesn't see many passers-by. One of the first I noticed. Usually bike-less, obviously.
Amour à la Gouttière
This one is just a few feet ahead of the previous one, in the larger street the small one cuts into.
Amour Renversé
And this one is on the main avenue, lots of traffic, right under a billboard... that way it won't be stepped on.
Amour au Café
This one is right next to the... Café du Métro, I think? The café that's right next to a metro entrance, anyway.
Now, I need to find some chalk and leave a message next to one of them to Geoff the person who left them. Because whoever they are, I want to know why they're doing this and what gave them this idea and why there and and and. I just want to know them. And all the wherefores and whys that come with the graffiti.