Blas de Otero’s Poetry: Spain, Memory, and Social Change
The poem “Rain / Away / Die” is part of Blas de Otero’s work “About Spain,” which concludes his social poetry phase. It focuses on the geographical space of Spain during his time.
Themes and Structure
The work originates from the poet’s personal feelings and shared experiences. It is thematically structured into five parts: The Forced Word, Songs, Geography, Common History, and Truth. Formal aspects are also significant. Traditional barriers between metric and free verse almost disappear, and the sonnet form is prominent. There is a progressive lengthening of the meter.
Historical Context
Published in 1964, during the 1960s, the work reflects the economic boom caused by development plans. In narrative, the realistic formula was depleted, and non-literary factors encouraged critical modernization of the novel, influenced by Latin American novels like “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” “The City and the Dogs,” and “Hopscotch,” as well as Spanish innovators and universal contemporary novels. Poetry in the 60s took a new direction, with poets who experienced the trauma of the Civil War. They addressed social issues, but no longer believed poetry could transform the world.
Social and Political Change
The 1960s saw economic growth and the development of tourism, breaking Spain’s isolation. Student organizations began to fight against Franco, and independent theater groups and universities emerged. This period prepared the ground for the social upheaval of May 1968.
Analysis of Individual Poems
Raining:
This poem is an autobiography that evokes nostalgic landscapes and figures from the poet’s childhood and youth. Thematic structure is meticulous, divided into five parts, with this poem belonging to the “forced” section.
The poet’s “I” is present, reflecting stark memories of childhood. It marks a return to the sonnet, a form in which the poet excelled.
Away:
This poem expresses a nostalgic longing for the poet’s childhood in Bilbao, its scenery, and streets. It is part of the “autobiography forced” section, rescuing landscapes and figures from his past.
Again, the poet’s “I” is present, with stark childhood memories. The sonnet form is used again, showcasing the poet’s mastery.
Die:
This poem is part of a collection written between 1959 and 1963, many composed outside of Spain. Three editions were published almost simultaneously, with the first censored, removing over a third of the poems. The second was published in Paris, and the third in Havana.
The poet’s “I” is present, addressing the theme of death, which is a recurring motif in his poetry. Here, death is assumed, appearing as a kind of testament. The “we” refers to new generations, and the poem concludes with the motto of his last poetic stage: “life and peace.”