A Salute To Spanish Poetry: 100 Masterpieces from Spain & Latin America rendered into English verse

Throughout the pages of A Salute To Spanish Poetry, author John Howard Reid has assembled an impressive mix of wordsmiths from Spain and Latin America, treating the reader to an eclectic collection of verse translated from its original Spanish. Touching on a wide range of different themes, each of the pieces in the collection is equally powerful and heartrending, and they all take the reader on an imaginative journey through the deepest recesses of the human mind and heart. Perhaps most notable about A Salute To Spanish Poetry is the undeniable strength of the selected pieces, which - whether they come from such a well-renowned name as Federico Garcia Lorca or a relatively unknown one as Julian del Casal - are no less insightful or awe-inspiring than any of their counterparts. Surely, creating such a well-balanced mix of inspiring verse could not have been any easy task, so Reid is well deserving of any and all kudos he may receive for taking on such an arduous, yet highly rewarding project. Impressively crafted, A Salute To Spanish Poetry is a standout collection of heartfelt poetic verse at its best. Highly recommended for poetry lovers of all ages. Wendy Paulson Apex Reviews

100 Masterpieces from Spain & Latin America This is a diverse collection of poets and their poetry, lovingly translated by John Howard Reid, from the original Spanish or Portuguese. Despite the varying geographical origins, many of the topics are united: the shades of gray in shadows, the play of light and darkness, and the mysterious reflections of water, fog, and mist. Loneliness is a common theme, as is a feeling of desolation. But rather than dissolving into a sea of melancholy, this collection features other poems that illuminate playful charm, delicate romance, and unyielding devotion. One of my favorites is from Jose Juan Tablada: An Alternative Nocturne: Golden New Yorker nights Cold walls of Moorish limestone A champagne foxtrot from Earl Fuller's Rector Novelty Orchestra Mute houses and barred windows Glancing around Over the silent roofs The soul is petrified White cats outlined against the moon Like Lot's wife And yet For all that, It's the same In New York And Bogota! The Moon...! The art of the collection lies in the translation from the varying languages and their particular dialects and styles. Some of the poets featured are Delmira Agustini from Uruguay, Carlos Oquendo de Amat from Peru, Gustavo Adolfo Becquer and Federico Garcia Lorca from Spain, Brazil's Olavo Bilac, Argentina's Leopoldo Lugones, and Julian del Casal from Cuba. Notably, Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, is also included with his poem The Gypsy. Sixteenth century poets mingle with modern playwrights in a readable collection that never gets too heavy or depressing, or worse, too scholarly (and therefore inaccessible). The way the poems are linked in the order that they are featured must have some significance, because they seem to lead into each other, giving them a sense of a greater story in play, a novelization of similar thoughts.