My favourite out of the six was Pablo García Baena. I think his poems were typically Andalusian. The existence of death and the affirmation of life are constant throughout. I’d like highlight
Elegy to a Dead Friend as an example, and go further by suggesting that there are echoes of Federico García Lorca’s famous
Lament for Ignacio Sánchez Mejías.
Antonio Gamoneda’s poetry is concerned with self, and the effects of the world in self. The ‘I’ is always present, and the poetry introspective. Clara Janés’ poetry kept slipping through my fingers. I couldn’t quite grasp it, but Sueño was a super poem.
Jorge Riechmann’s poem
Pórtico: Otro Ritmo Posible was my favourite poem of the section.
I leave it here and wait and see what others though of PIR 91. My only quibble remains the lack of space given for new poems. The review section is 50 pages so maybe something could’ve been skimmed off that. Then again, the journal is called Poetry Ireland Review. I guess I’ll have to be content with not having everything. All in all great issue.
Admin, thanks for giving me the opportunity to read it.
