vicent alonso-english

In 1983 he began his poetic works with
the publication of a collection of poems
Vel de claredats (Prometeo, Valencia,1983).
To be followed later by: Albes d'enlloc
(Edicions 62, Barcelona, 1985),
Ritme de clepsidra (Tres i Quatre,
Valencia, 1986), Cercles de la mirada
(Bromera, Alzira, 1998),
which won the Ausiàs Marc prize, and
Del clam de Jasó (Eumo-Cafè Central,
Barcelona, 2002), a book of
poems in prose, his last poetic publication.

In collaboration with Anna Montero he has translated the books of Charles Baudelaire : Petits poèmes en prose ( Petits poemes en prosa, Edicions del Mall, Barcelona 1984), that were re-edited in Valencia under the title of L'Spleen de París (Tres i Quatre, 1994) and Les paradis artificiels (Els paradisos artificials, Edicions del Mall, Barcelona 1985). In 1986 his translation of L'homme approximatif, by Tristan Tzara was published ( L'home aproximatiu, Gregal, València), and, in 1993, Mon coeur mis à nu (El meu cor al descobert), by Charles Baudelaire and a selection of the Essais, by Michel de Montaigne (Assaigs breus), the last two printed by the publishing house Albatros of Valencia.

In 2006 the publishers Proa launched its publication of the three books of Essais by Michel de Montaigne, translated and edited by Vicent Alonso (2006-2008). Book I deserved the Crítica Serra d'Or prize and, most recently, the Qwerty prize of Barcelona Televisión. The translation of Essais deserved the Ciutat de Barcelona 2008 prize to the best translation into catalan.

He has published numerous opinion articles
(Avui , El Temps, Levante- EMV , El País , ...)
and those of literary criticism (Daina, Caràcters,
El Temps, Caplletra, Compartir ...). During the last few years he has written for the “Quadern” supplement, part of the Valencian edition of the El País newspaper, in the twice-monthly series "Contra el mal de viure", and recently the new twice-monthly series "A manera de tascó", about books and literary topics.

He has also published the following essays:
La trajectòria intel·lectual d'Ernest Martínez Ferrando (Tres i Quatre, València 1992),
Entre la poesia en prosa i el conte literari
(IIFV-Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat,
València-Barcelona 1992) and Les paraules i els dies (Bromera, Alzira 2002), a selection of literary criticism and current affairs articles.

It is also worth mentioning his role in the editing of the IV volume of the Correspondència by Joan Fuster (Tres i Quatre, València 2000). In the year 2003 he received the essay prize Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta, organised by Ediciones Bromera, for the diary Trajecte circular (2004).

Three pitchers

You have seen them, motionless, leaning
on the notches of an old piece of wood for years,
and you wonder whether it is worth voicing
the obscurity they don't deserve, the sadness
of the water which no one pours into them,
the jet they no longer feel against the clay of the jugs.

Is it good for pitchers not to have memory,
not to miss the hands which used to carry them
to the fountain every summer morning,
the cloth which covered their mouth,
or the dripping, handle downwards, which eased
the impetuous west wind at noon?

Indifferent to the burden of long hours
they will not suffer if you worry about it.
Time needs someone to watch over it: guards of nothingness,
testimonies of the shadow, of the clouds drifting away.

Translation: Alison Alonso & Sabela Alonso

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VICENT ALONSO, writer [Home]

Born in Godella (L'Horta) in 1948. Bachelor Degree in Philosophy and a Doctorate in Catalan Philology. Professor in the Catalan Philology department of the University of Valencia until the academic year 2007-2008. He now dedicates his time exclusively to reading and writing. He founded and managed the literary magazine Daina, now no longer in circulation, as well as the literary criticism magazine Caràcters, revista d'informació literària, whose second edition appeared in 1997 entitled Caràcters, revista de llibres.
	In 1983 he began his poetic works with the publication of a collection of poems Vel de claredats (Prometeo, Valencia,1983). To be followed later by: Albes d'enlloc (Edicions 62, Barcelona, 1985), Ritme de clepsidra (Tres i Quatre, Valencia, 1986), Cercles de la mirada (Bromera, Alzira, 1998), which won the Ausiàs Marc prize, and Del clam de Jasó (Eumo-Cafè Central, Barcelona, 2002), a book of poems in prose, his last poetic publication.
In collaboration with Anna Montero he has translated the books of Charles Baudelaire : Petits poèmes en prose ( Petits poemes en prosa, Edicions del Mall, Barcelona 1984), that were re-edited in Valencia under the title of L'Spleen de París (Tres i Quatre, 1994) and Les paradis artificiels (Els paradisos artificials, Edicions del Mall, Barcelona 1985). In 1986 his translation of L'homme approximatif, by Tristan Tzara was published ( L'home aproximatiu, Gregal, València), and, in 1993, Mon coeur mis à nu (El meu cor al descobert), by Charles Baudelaire and a selection of the Essais, by Michel de Montaigne (Assaigs breus), the last two printed by the publishing house Albatros of Valencia. In 2006 the publishers Proa launched its publication of the three books of Essais by Michel de Montaigne, translated and edited by Vicent Alonso (2006-2008). Book I deserved the Crítica Serra d'Or prize and, most recently, the Qwerty prize of Barcelona Televisión. The translation of Essais deserved the Ciutat de Barcelona 2008 prize to the best translation into catalan.
He has published numerous opinion articles (Avui , El Temps, Levante- EMV , El País , ...) and those of literary criticism (Daina, Caràcters, El Temps, Caplletra, Compartir ...). During the last few years he has written for the “Quadern” supplement, part of the Valencian edition of the El País newspaper, in the twice-monthly series "Contra el mal de viure", and recently the new twice-monthly series "A manera de tascó", about books and literary topics. He has also published the following essays: La trajectòria intel·lectual d'Ernest Martínez Ferrando (Tres i Quatre, València 1992), *Entre la poesia en prosa i el conte literari* (IIFV-Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, València-Barcelona 1992) and *Les paraules i els dies* (Bromera, Alzira 2002), a selection of literary criticism and current affairs articles.
It is also worth mentioning his role in the editing of the IV volume of the Correspondència by Joan Fuster (Tres i Quatre, València 2000). In the year 2003 he received the essay prize Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta, organised by Ediciones Bromera, for the diary *Trajecte circular* (2004).
Three pitchers You have seen them, motionless, leaning on the notches of an old piece of wood for years, and you wonder whether it is worth voicing the obscurity they don't deserve, the sadness of the water which no one pours into them, the jet they no longer feel against the clay of the jugs. Is it good for pitchers not to have memory, not to miss the hands which used to carry them to the fountain every summer morning, the cloth which covered their mouth, or the dripping, handle downwards, which eased the impetuous west wind at noon? Indifferent to the burden of long hours they will not suffer if you worry about it. Time needs someone to watch over it: guards of nothingness, testimonies of the shadow, of the clouds drifting away. Translation: Alison Alonso & Sabela Alonso


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