Description
Relapse
Book Summary
Gabriel Cortiñas, the Argentine poet awarded the Casa de las Américas prize, presents Relapse, a collection of poems that conceives the poem as a field of living tensions. The work explores the violence generated between the verses, where rhythm deforms semantics and the word becomes a direct intervention upon reality. More than a representation, the book is a displacement, a reappearance, and a revolt that ranges from individual memory to the social tumor, offering a poetic experience that is learned and discovered in secret, out in the open.
What is it about?
Relapse is a book of poems built upon the concept of tension as a creative engine. The author proposes that the poem does not describe the world, but rather intervenes in it, generating a dynamic where the violence between the verses transforms the very meaning of the words. The work presents itself as a way of confronting reality in multiple phases, a verb in continuous becoming. The title, "relapse," alludes to the reappearance of a phenomenon, whether it be memory, a tumor, or revolt, and it spreads across the page like a stain that takes over everything. It is not a fixed language, but one that is learned as it is read, in secret and in spite of tradition. It is, in essence, a displacement of the self into the world, a poetic experience that plunges and spills over what is possible.
Main themes
- Poetic violence as a generator of meaning and rhythm.
- Memory as a recurring and transformative force.
- The tension between the self and the world as a space of conflict.
- Poetry as direct intervention rather than representation of reality.
- Reappearance and revolt as forms of resistance and creation.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in contemporary avant-garde poetry who are looking for a work that challenges the conventions of language and representation. It is ideal for those who appreciate formal experimentation and a commitment to the word as a tool for intervention in reality.
What this book offers
- A reading experience that challenges linear understanding and proposes a secret learning process.
- An approach to poetry as a field of living forces and tensions.
- The opportunity to explore the work of an author recognized with the prestigious Casa de las Américas prize.
- A reflection on memory, violence, and revolt from a radical poetic perspective.
Technical specifications
- Author: Cortiñas, Gabriel
- Publisher: Ediciones La Uña Rota
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: POETRY
- Collection: USELESS BOOKS
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: January 1980
- Number of pages: 72
- Weight: 150 g
Editorial review
Relapse presents itself as a work of contemporary poetry that stands out for its theoretical approach and formal execution. Cortiñas's proposal, which conceives the poem as an intervention in reality, is particularly interesting for an audience seeking a reading that transcends mere representation. It is a book that invites an active experience, where the reader must learn the language of the work as they progress. Its brevity (72 pages) and its paperback binding make it a manageable object, ideal for an intense and reflective read. It is a recommended acquisition for those who follow current Argentine poetry and for those interested in proposals that explore the limits of language.