Still Life with Loops

Born in San Sebastian, and still living and working there, the Basque poet Eli Tolaretxipi has published two collections of poetry in Spanish – Past Love Still Life and The Loops of the Figure. Although translated into French and Italian, she has had to wait until the publication of this volume for her poetry to appear in English, in a fine translation by Philip Jenkins.

Tolaretxipi''s poetry has a rich sense of unease, the sense of unease we feel about love and perception. Her first collection draws on the language of the visual arts to portray the end of a failing relationship, while her second reflects on the nature of perception and poetry. Still Life with Loops, as its title suggests, is made up of work from both these collections. Her poetry is similar in texture to that of some of the English-language women poets she has translated into Spanish, Elizabeth Bishop and Sylvia Plath among them.

Translated by Philip Jenkins

"... short as they are, each one has an intensity that needs to be savoured... The poems are written in free verse, subtly rhythmic in Spanish and English. Powerful stuff. Nothing as simple as it looks. Congratulations to Arc - they''ve done us proud."
Malcolm Parr, Roundyhouse