This poem is a part of the unpublished volume “Río Estigia” (“The River Styx") which unites texts that reflect on barbaric and cruel forms of exercising power. Styx is, in this case, a symbol which alludes to a state of shadows, the absence of life, worlds in which human evil is present. Absence of life is not equivalent to death.
Welcome to a new year of the best contemporary poetry delivered to your inbox every morning. We hope the poems we choose delight and inspire you, whether they are written in English or translated from the cornucopia of the world’s languages. Stay safe and stay well.
"What made Longfellow’s poetry perfect for reciting by the fireside or in the schoolroom—rhyme, meter, cadence, and memorability, for sure; plus a sensitive and cheerful expression of familiar themes (love for children, home life, patriotism, religion) told in a sentimental voice—also contributed to his being expunged from the literary canon when the paradigm for proper poetic expression was upended by Modernism."
Poetry Daily stands with the Black community. We oppose racism, oppression, and police brutality. We will continue to amplify diverse voices in the poetry world. Black Lives Matter.
"I have read a wide shelf’s worth of books of translation theory, but when I actually sit down to translate, especially poetry, all of that beautifully formulated theory goes out the window, and I am faced with the poet’s mind, and my mind, and how I am going to get them to work together."
