Below, a humble Federico García Lorca writes to friend and fellow poet Jorge Guillén about his struggle to “keep quiet” concerning what Lorca calls the “sad” future of poetry. Lorca, who had close ties to other poets, was afraid his condemnation would create a scandal.
To Jorge Guillén
[Granada, March 1927
Jorge Guillén, Capuchinas, 6. Murcia.]
Dear Jorge:
How beautifully Verso y Prosa came out this month! Lovely. Guillermo’s [de Torre] article is nice and it pleased me, although I don’t deserve so much. It eulogizes me so much that I don’t recognize myself.
I had a long letter about poetry ready for you. I tore it up. I realize that I’m very closely tied to other poets and that my outcry would be terrible. But what a pure and poetic outcry! Ay! Dear Jorge, we’re going down two wrong roads: one leads to Romanticism and the other towards the snakeskin and the cicada’s empty shell. Ay! What deceit! It’s sad. But I’ve got to keep still. To speak would create a scandal. These days I’m reading just empty poetry or decorative nonsense, like one newly baptized. I keep quiet. Forgive me…but I have to hold hand over mouth in order to keep quiet. Adiós. Give my best regards to [Juan] Guerrero [Ruiz]. Love to your children and Germaine and an effusive embrace of poetic communion from
Federico
I’m slightly ill and can’t go to Madrid as yet. Write quickly.