In his own vernacular, akin to the expression of any ordinary man, the local writer Jaime Quesada presented his “newborn” Alongado al brocal this Friday at the Casa de la Cultura Benito Pérez Armas. He described it as “a being that, despite being gradually conceived over several years, is now presented in book format, on printed pages infused with the scent of ink that has recently shaped the words reaching all of you, which are merely musings of a man from the village, returned to the village.”
The event offered a thrilling literary evening featuring readings of romances, décimas, and seguidillas, performed by women and men invited by the author. The artistic expression of music was also present, performed on the violin by young Martina Sánchez Quesada, Jaime’s granddaughter, enriching the celebration during the patronal festivities of Remedios. The publication was launched with the support of the Yaiza Town Hall and the editorial backing of Horizontes Atlánticos.
Yaiza’s mayor, Óscar Noda, emphasised the achievements of the 37-year-old writer, who has served in education for 35 of those years as the principal of Playa Blanca school. He remarked, “all this time, this journey, and experiences, both within and beyond the school realm, have enriched Jaime’s writing, which bears the imprint of his profound love for Yaiza.”
Poet and Yaiza’s cultural councillor, César Rijo, described the work as “a transcription in verse of the daily lives of our villages, of the lives of our parents and grandparents, a significant act so that all, especially the new generations, do not forget our essence.”
In the same vein, editor Ignacio Romero stated that “Jaime’s poetry transmits culture, and this is one of the significant challenges of society: not losing our history, our identity, and our character.”
What can we expect upon opening the pages of Alongado al brocal? The preface by writer and poet Marcos Hormiga highlights that “we will encounter agricultural or maritime nomenclature, the insular geography of Lanzarote, and the psychological portrait of its inhabitants, coloured by personal experience, his imprint of experiences and observations, in the named types of poetic discourse,” referring to romances, décimas, and seguidillas.
Social Commitment
Jaime Quesada also presents the current reality in his poetic work, and as the prologue writer aptly points out, “his approach to contemporary issues is not mild and, unfortunately, reflects age-old problems: intolerance, illiteracy, migration, the invisibility of the disadvantaged, inequality, and dementia.”
His verses encapsulate heartfelt thoughts on the expectations for well-being arising from the development of Lanzarote, alongside the benefits or detriments that ensue. Among other hopes, Jaime Quesada wishes that the book “inspires reflection on all the work that so many women and men, in anonymity and without recognition, did for and on behalf of their community.” The event concluded with a book signing that extended for nearly an hour, drawing in numerous attendees eager not to miss the presentation of Alongado al brocal, with the Casa de la Cultura in Yaiza filled to capacity.
