Jean Orizet, a poet and co-founder of the Paris-based publishing house Le Cherche-midi, has passed away at the age of 89. Born in Marseille on March 5, 1937, Orizet was a key figure in the French poetic scene, with his work translated into twenty languages. He authored numerous poetry collections, including "Errance," published in 1962, and "L'étincelle du temps," a memoir released in 2025. Orizet was known for his belief in the power of poetry, once stating, "Poetry remains the expression of language raised to its highest degree of incandescence," and "Why write and read poetry? To live better and higher." Orizet played a pivotal role in the literary world through his co-founding of the magazine Poésie 1 in 1968, which was sold for just one franc—the price of a metro ticket at the time. He also co-founded the publishing house Le Cherche-midi in 1975 and led it for 30 years. Among the many works published there were popular anthologies such as Le petit livre des pensées amoureuses and Les cent plus beaux poèmes de la langue française, which found success through the Livre de poche imprint. These publications helped bring French poetry to a broader audience and solidified the publishing house’s reputation. Throughout his career, Orizet was a regular presence in the media and was recognized with several awards, including the Grand Prix de Poésie from the Académie française, which honored his entire body of work. The Société des gens de lettres, which awarded him its prize in 2009, described his poetry as "the notebook of a fulfilled traveler, but who also knows how to see our miseries, from famines to hostage takings, from war to terrorism." They emphasized his belief that the role of the poet is to "testify, here and now." Beyond his literary contributions, Orizet had a long career in cultural diplomacy. He traveled extensively around the world, serving as a missionary for the Direction culturelle of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Alliance française. These roles allowed him to promote French language and culture globally, reinforcing his commitment to both poetry and international exchange.