Of the same author:
IF FOR TELLING THE TRUTH...
(1963)
MY FATHER'S HOUSE
(1963)
LET'S BREAK THE CHAIN
(1963)
SHOUTING ON ZORROTZA WHARF
(1963)
Gabriel Aresti (1933-1975) Born into a nationalist non-Basque-speaking family in Bilbao. At fourteen he began to study Basque on his own, reading the classics in the City Library and listening to popular verse improvisers. His poetry evolved from the symbolism of his youth to the social criticism of his later years. He exerted an enormous influence of the youth of the 60s and 70s. His work Harri eta Herri (Stone and Country, 1964) is the foundational book of Basque modern civil poetry. He was critical, indulged in controversy and broke the myth of the «Basque believer». He openly stated his left-wing ideas, and also contributed to the updating of song-singing and drama... His death, which coincided with the end of the Franco regime, closed a period of Basque literature.
POESIA
Gabriel Aresti , 1963
They'll say
this this
is not
poetry,
but
I tell you
that poetry
is
a hammer.
Translation: Toni Strubell
Original version: POESIA
© Gabriel Aresti © Translation: Toni Strubell
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