Chenier, shay NYAY, Andre (1762-1794), Andre Marie de Chenier, a French poet, wrote his greatest work, Les Iambes, in prison during the last months of his life. The poems satirize the French Revolutionists who condemned Chenier to death without a trial. He wrote another group of poems, Les Bucoliques, revealing a deep understanding of ancient Greece. He restored the neglected musical qualities of French poetry. He was born in Istanbul, Turkey. Umberto Giordano based his opera Andrea Chenier (1896) on the poet's life.