Looking through the iris
The original version of this book dates back to 1992 and in 2020 the writer Louise Glück received the Nobel Prize and Garazi Ugalde brought it to the Basque country for the first time.
Before we read the book of poems, we find the prologue of the translator. I have greatly appreciated some of his references, recommendations and key readings: the multiple meanings and dimensions of the word “iris”, especially, have helped me to broaden my view.
If we look at the index, we can distinguish three subparagraphs, as Ugalde points out in the introduction: on the one hand, the one formed by poems that bear the name of the plants, most of which have been completely unknown to me. In these cases, the poetic voice is that of plants, and they talk about themselves (on page 21, “when I woke up I was in a forest”) or addressing them to another person, to us? (on page 41: “If you hate me that way you don’t assign me.”)
Other poems are called specific moments or times. In them, the voice is omniscient and authoritarian, and the tone seems imperative. The voice is addressed to the plural of the second person, as if he were speaking above anyone (page 39: “But know that I was expecting something more than two beings who were given intelligence”; on page 54: “Don’t believe you to be the only ones.”) The translator has mentioned the voice of the celestial gods at the entrance and has helped me his note.
The other poems are known by Glück as Bezperak eta Matutiak. Matutias are morning recipes and the Speras also refer to their misgivings. In general, it uses longer sentences and these poems become more narrative.
I think Glück has used three stylistic characteristics to give it integrity: one to focus the semantic field on plants. Another is that of rhetorical questions. It is clear that it uses them a lot, questioning the reader himself. And the last one, with powerful images (on page 61, “bright light flowing through the naked tree”).
It's been the toughest book critique I've written so far. I have to confess that I have had the feeling that, despite the repeated reading of some poems, something was losing. I have had to remember that reading can be enjoyed even without understanding everything, and I have done it: I have let into my reach the images suggested by the American Louise Glück, and it seemed to me that from time to time I was seeing faces of fire.
Itsasoa bete urre
Dani Martirena
Irudiak: Ana Ibañez
Txalaparta, 2022
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