Migrations
Back of the Book
Forty-four years in the making, Migrations is considered by critics to be a masterpiece of modern Mexican literature. Gloria Gervitz’s book, winner of the 2019 Pablo Neruda Ibero-American Poetry Prize, is an epic journey in free verse through the individual and collective memories of Jewish women emigrants from Eastern Europe, a conversation that ranges across two thousand years of poetry, a bridge that spans the oracles of ancient Greece and the markets of modern Mexico, a prayer that blends the Jewish and Catholic liturgies, a Mexican woman’s reclamation through poetry of her own voice and erotic power. In its reach, audacity, and astonishing vitality, Gervitz’s extraordinary life’s work bears comparison to the achievements of HD, Lorine Niedecker, Ezra Pound, and Walt Whitman.
Why You Should Read It
The utterly unique cadence of Gloria Gervitz’s experiences make for an unparalleled experience, a feat of what language can do. What remains most impressive is the amount of feeling and beauty carried over by translation, which at the hands of Mark Schafer, becomes an act of worship. Gervitz builds a structure through her poetry, of her life, that might resemble a mausoleum or a shrine to what is lost but certainly never forgotten.
Memorable Passage
and which I don’t even dare to dream
constant plagiarism of myself
and time is the only meeting place
it’s all nothing but time
there where a few sprigs of bougainvillea in a glass of water
suffice to make us a garden
because we die alone
and death is just the awakening
from this first dream of living
About the Author
Gloria Gervitz, born in Mexico City in 1943, is a highly esteemed poet whose profound and expansive work has positioned her as a vital figure in contemporary Latin American literature. Best known for her monumental epic poem "Migrations," a sprawling poetic narrative that explores Jewish identity, diaspora, and the human experience, Gervitz's poetry is marked by its lyrical intensity and meticulous attention to language. With a background in visual arts and a deeply spiritual perspective, Gervitz's poetic voice weaves together personal and collective histories, transcending borders and cultural boundaries. Her dedication to the craft of poetry and her ability to articulate the complexities of identity and memory make Gloria Gervitz worth knowing for her significant contributions to the rich tapestry of global poetry and her profound influence on the exploration of Jewish and diasporic experiences in literature.
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