An Introduction to Galician Poetry: Manuel Antonio’s Poems

Spanish poetry is well known across the world – being one of the most widely spoken languages helps, no doubt. However, within the Spanish speaking countries and people, other languages and poetries exist. They may share a common modern context more than they share a common past; still, each of these languages has a particular poetic tradition, generally shunned from literary discussions not so much for lack of merits as for lack of awareness. I am fortunate to belong to one of such poetic traditions, Galician poetry. The shadow of…

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The Return

Returning is equivalent to remembering. The two are synonyms, inseparable brothers, rather conjoined twins sharing one heart, big enough to pump enough blood to both semantic bodies. Returning involves repetition, and as it happens, having returned we must go through cupboards and drawers the content of which we do not easily recall. They demand a thorough exploration that leads us to the rediscovery of something we once knew, thought, felt and had. Returning is an exercise of memory, a prophylactic technique against Alzheimer’s disease. Inside drawers and cupboards, in wait…

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