Monday, September 29, 2014

The Spanish Civil War: A Documentary (Part II)

The Spanish Civil War (Brother Against Brother) Written, Produced, Directed and Narrated by Mike Leighton; Cromwell Productions, 1995 (2001 DVD). The Last Great Cause. Continued.

This documentary cites four poets, all of them fatalities as a direct result of the war.

Antonio Machado (1875-1939)'s “El crimen fue en Granada / The Crime Took Place in Granada” is an homage to Federico García Lorca (1898-1936), murdered with apparent relish by a Francoist goon squad because he was gay as well as pro-Republic. 
From John Cornford's (1915-1936) “Poem” (to Margot Heinemann):

And if bad luck should lay my strength
Into the shallow grave,
Remember all the good you can;

Don't forget my love.

In the course of the film, Cornford's “Full Moon at the Tierz” is also recited.
Two poems by Miguel Hernández are featured: “Recoged esta voz  / Hear This Voice” and “Vientos del pueblo me llevan/ The Winds of the People” It's all very sad, the human condition.  

Today's Rune: Wholeness. 

2 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

I read quite a bit about it in college as it was a prelude to WWII. Don't remember as much as I should.

jodi said...

Erik-why did I not pay attention to history class. I find it so much more interesting now. It's all in the teacher at that age and a dull one can kill any interest sometimes. I need a do over!