Project Description
Carlos Reyes-Manzo
Carlos Reyes-Manzo
Carlos Reyes-Manzo is a poet and social documentary photographer. Persecuted and imprisoned following the military coup in Chile, he claimed asylum in the UK in 1979. His bilingual book of poetry, Oranges in Times of Moon was published in 2006. To mark the 50th anniversary of Amnesty International, he was appointed Amnesty’s inaugural Poet in Residence. In 2014-2015, he was a writer in residence at the Department of Politics, Birkbeck College, University of London, where he is currently an Associate Research Fellow. His poetry and his photography reflect the struggles and hopes of the marginalised and oppressed in society.
He planted his cross where the moon rises
Breeze daughter of the god Wind
blows through mythical ravines
of crystalline waters.
From their chacaras sharing out love
with brother Sun they dance to life.
For the caracolas the sea is infinite.
From beyond the seas, the foreigner
with skin of iron and white heart.
With his feet of ice
he planted his cross where the moon rises.
The Admiral and his three caravels
like birds of ill omen sow seeds of evil.
Their Toledan swords open eternal wounds
red are the chains
blessed by the Roman God.
Poor star of the south your nocturnal innocence
raped at Castilian auctions.
Translated from Spanish by Valeria Baker