æz ɐn ˌædəlˈɛsənt hiː wʌz ɔːlɹˌɛdi wˈɛl vˈɜːst ɪn fɹˈɛntʃ pˈoʊɪtɹi fɹʌm fɹˈænswɑː vˈɪlən tʊ ˈælfɹɪd də vˈɪɡni.
As an adolescent he was already well versed in French poetry from François Villon to Alfred de Vigny.