Muted Voices

Unmasked Writings/Historias desconfinadas is a collection of five chapbooks exploring the emotional impact of the pandemic, featuring original English and translated Spanish texts.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 88 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: UEA Publishing Project

Family tension, poetry, and the trauma of casual racism are all explored in Unmasked Writings/Historias desconfinadas, a unique collaboration between Creative Writing students at UEA and students of Translation Studies at the University de Alcalá. This series of five chapbooks maps the emotional angles of the pandemic and gives voice to the long moments of introspection we all cultivated during the hardest months of this crisis. Each text is presented both in the original English and the translated Spanish.

Volume one, Muted Voices/voces acalladas, features three poems: Lady Time by Molly-Rose Medhurst, translated by Ana Sánchez Asenjo; Silences by Michaela Vitagliano, translated by Sonia Herranz Martínez and Salomé Torres Vargas; and Unmask Me by Denise Monroe, translated by Paula López García and Olivia Serret Sanz.

Lady Time by Molly-Rose Medhurst is a poem about the passage of time and the ways in which it can be both a blessing and a curse. The poem begins with the line "Lady Time, you are a thief," and goes on to describe how time can steal our youth, our beauty, and our innocence. However, it also acknowledges that time can be a source of strength and resilience, and that we can use it to grow and learn.

Silences by Michaela Vitagliano is a poem about the power of silence and the ways in which it can be both a blessing and a curse. The poem begins with the line "Silence, you are a thief," and goes on to describe how silence can be a source of comfort and peace, but can also be a source of anxiety and fear. It also acknowledges that silence can be a tool for communication and that we can use it to connect with others.

Unmask Me by Denise Monroe is a poem about the process of self-discovery and the ways in which we can become more authentic and true to ourselves. The poem begins with the line "Unmask me, I am ready," and goes on to describe the process of peeling away the layers of self-doubt and fear that we have accumulated over the years. It also acknowledges that self-discovery can be a painful and challenging process, but that it is ultimately worth it.

Overall, Unmasked Writings/Historias desconfinadas is a powerful and thought-provoking collection of poems that explores the emotional angles of the pandemic and gives voice to the long moments of introspection we all cultivated during the hardest months of this crisis. Whether you are a fan of poetry or not, this series is worth reading and will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the power of words.

Weight: 134g
Dimension: 138 x 215 x 7 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781913861360