Donostia-San Sebastian. The “Poetry International,” portal that includes works in English by various international poets has published a chapter “Espetxeko haikuak,” translated as “Jailhouse haikus” from the last book by Kirmen Uribe. The work tells the experiences of a man imprisoned for being rebellious, as the daily Naiz characterizes it in an article that we are reproducing here.
17 Seconds (2019) is the latest book by Kirmen Uribe. After 18 years of not writing poetry, the author has returned to this genre and appears that his texts are being noticed as part of the book has been translated into English.
The translation by Elizabeth Macklin, who has translated others of his Works can be rea don the “Poetry International,” portal. According to Uribe himself, the text is a reflection of “a period of imprisonment caused by rebelling against the obligatory military service.” The website includes this series of poetic texts as well as seven single poems by Harkaitz Cano also translated from Basque to English.
Macklin also translated “Bitartean heldu eskutik” (2001) (Meanwhile Take My Hand), as she knows Uribe’s work well.
Kirmen Uribe refers profusely to his career in this interview with Zazpika Magazine.
“I think that on the one hand it is the same, but on the other maybe it shows more scars, more wounds. Life knowns how to hurt, but the spirit is the same,” he says comparing his two books of poetry.
He also reflects on poetry in the interview: “T.S. Eliot said that poetry is the expression of small towns and people too. He said that thought is much more neutral, or that narration also more neutral, but that poetry shows the soul of a people as well as a person’s character.”
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