Poetic recital by David Escamilla in tribute to Joan Brossa

Last Tuesday, September 24, Bonart magazine participated in the El Sofà Vermell de les Revistes space, an APPEC initiative within the framework of Catalan Book Week. On this occasion, Bonart organized a poetry reading dedicated to the work of Joan Brossa, by the poet, journalist and writer David Escamilla.

Escamilla, who has published more than 60 books throughout his career, including 10 poetry collections, shared with attendees his personal experience with Brossa, whom he met during an interview for El Temps magazine. He described the artist as an unrepeatable, eccentric and singular character, recalling in detail his first meeting, when Brossa received him at his home in a dressing gown, checkered pyjamas, slippers and surrounded by old newspapers.

During the recital, Escamilla went beyond the simple reading of poems: he contextualized each of them and allowed the audience to discover the different facets of Brossa through the various registers of his work. Through these records, it was possible to get to know a deeply lyrical and romantic Brossa, with poems dedicated to Pepa, his life partner, as well as a committed Brossa, with texts dedicated to historical figures such as Salvador Puig Antich, a victim of the Franco regime , and others of a pro-independence and libertarian nature. This range of styles and themes showed the complexity and richness of Brossa's artistic personality.

The event allowed attendees to get closer to the poet's creative universe and discover its depth and commitment through David Escamilla's voice and interpretation.

Nocturnal

To Pepa

Pure against the night my hand,

wealth and strength I will throw on my shoulder.

I seek calm in what I can think about

or where the plain rewards I draw a line. 

The man and his mystery is usually enough for me,

the brimstone that I beat does not spare me.

But the sum eludes human reason,

and the thunder shakes me

and the lightning strikes me. 

But I'm not saying I feel my mistake.

Fill yourself with roots,

oh neglected land!

Dialogizing around your love,

what I hold back, I lose greedily.

Nor of dying as I think I feel horror,

even thinking about how I die makes me sad.

Joan Brossa

David Escamilla, periodista i poeta, recita poemes de Joan Brossa.