Balam Rodrigo

Five Poems
Translated from the Spanish by Michael Willis
(Poetry / Winter 2021)

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Balam Rodrigo (Villa Comaltitlán, Soconusco, Chiapas, 1974) is a former footballer, biologist, and writer. An author of over thirty books of poetry, his lyrics give life to a diversity of topics, ranging from football to the biological sciences, to humankind’s spiritual relationship with God. Recent works: Marabunta (Invisible Books, 2017; Praxis, 2018; Yaugurú, 2018; Los Perros Románticos, 2019), Central American Book of the Dead (FCE, 2018), Antiicaro (La Chifurnia, 2019), Cantar del ángel con remos en la espalda (Puertabierta Editores, 2019) and Icarias (Icaro Ediciones, 2020). His work has earned several recognitions, to include: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz International Literature Contest 2012, Jaime Sabines International Poetry Prize 2014, José Emilio Pacheco National Poetry Prize 2016, Amado Nervo National Poetry Prize 2017 and Aguascalientes Poetry Fine Arts Award 2018. Member of the National System of Art Creators of Mexico from 2014-2016 and 2018-2020.