Tobacconist
The red and gold bicolour flag
is re-established as the flag of Spain.
The traditional bi-colour red and gold flag,
the glorious emblem that has presided over the
immortal deeds of our history.
That is a stamp.
Wall of Delight
Now it is a ribbon
that explodes in stars of green,
blue and red.
Now it is an arched
palm that fades
after exploding.
As soon as
the first rockets
have died, already
the second and third
shine.
Geometry and Butterflies
Two
lines that join
at a point form an
angle.
A polygon
is a plane bound
by lines.
A circumference
is a closed, curved
line.
Butterflies with blue wings
and white wings with dark spots.
But, I like
this one with red wings and a velvety
appearance.
Elegy
This charity has a very precise
political meaning: it is reserved
for fascists and reactionaries
only; it is never in favour
of an enemy, for example,
a Spanish republican.
Bacchic
The order to suppress the festivities of
Carnival came out on February 3,
1937, and continues until the present day.
(And a red
devil appears through the hatch
of the convent.)
Song
The day the majority,
which opposes the monopolies,
endeavours to accomplish
its ends, will be the beginning
of a victory.
Six Poems
Joan Brossa
translated from the Catalan by Cameron Griffiths
The six poems presented here come from the book El Saltamarti (The Tumbler) written by Joan Brossa in 1963 and published in 1969. El Saltamarti is a real synthesis of Brossa’s principal themes at the time, and brings together visual poems as well as poems that display his growing sense of social commitment. It is also testament to Brossa’s tremendous versatility with regard to form: there are formal poems that deploy Alexandrine lines alongside poems of a freer verse.
In terms of language, these poems came across into English quite easily. Brossa’s style is direct and clear. His poetry uses plain language in a straightforward manner. But Brossa can also be unusual and elusive. He often places the object of a line before the subject, which can catch the ear by surprise and serve to keep the reader alert. The poems are often funny and playful, but are just as often sharp and cutting; there is much to attend to in the tone of the poems. The apparent simplicity and ease of the poems in El Saltamarti can be deceptive and certainly adds to their subversive nature.
In terms of language, these poems came across into English quite easily. Brossa’s style is direct and clear. His poetry uses plain language in a straightforward manner. But Brossa can also be unusual and elusive. He often places the object of a line before the subject, which can catch the ear by surprise and serve to keep the reader alert. The poems are often funny and playful, but are just as often sharp and cutting; there is much to attend to in the tone of the poems. The apparent simplicity and ease of the poems in El Saltamarti can be deceptive and certainly adds to their subversive nature.
Joan Brossa (1919–1998) was born in Barcelona into a family of artisans. He began writing when he was mobilised in the Spanish Civil War. During the forties, he was introduced to surrealism thanks to meeting Joan Miró and Joan Prats. This led him to start writing sonnets, odes, and theatre pieces, within a neo-surrealist framework that he referred to as “scenic poetry.” In 1941, under the influence of futurism, he produced his first visual poems. He founded the magazine Dau al Set in 1948 and during the fifties and sixties, his poetry took on a social engagement. Books such as El Saltamartí (1963) presented a synthesis of themes. However, it was the publication of Poesia Rasa (1970), Poemes de seny i cabell (1977), Rua de llibres (1980), and the six volumes of Poesia escénica (between 1973 and 1983) that saw Brossa become established as a principal figure in contemporary Catalan literature.
Cameron Griffiths studied History and English Literature at the University of Waikato in New Zealand and works in the field of Information Technology. His poetry has appeared in journals in New Zealand, Australia and the United States. He has recently moved with his family from New Zealand to Spain where he will continue several writing projects, including the translation of a book of poems by Joan Brossa.
