Voices of Mexico no. 44

Our Voice

Mexico is heavyhearted. It has lost one of its most beloved and lucid voices. The vacuum can already be felt in the international literary community and will undoubtedly be difficult to fill. Mexican literature is wonderfully represented in the extensive works of Octavio Paz. Some voices are silenced and leave no echo, but the voice of Paz defines us, marks us, guides us, resonates within us. Unchallenged in literature, he was always controversial in political milieus, but even his opponents had to recognize his critical vocation, essentially honest and visionary. Somehow, even they had been marked by it.

With Paz, you are grateful to read a line of poetry. You stop, you read it again aloud, and slowly it touches the spirit. I am personally grateful to have had the opportunity of sharing a moment with Paz, at an unforgettable gathering where he read poetry to a small group, talked about which of the Machado, Manuel or Antonio, was a better poet, told fascinating stories about his youth and, in general, showed the exceptional ability to deliciously combine different skills. Undoubtedly Paz was able to do what we all want to do: to never die, to last, to remain.

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Editorial

Our Voice
Paz Consuelo Márquez Padilla

The UNAM Main Library
Juan O'Gorman's Visual-Historical Meditation

Miguel A. Bahena
Luis Roberto Torres Escalona

Santa Clara del Cobre
Marcela Segura Coquet

On-line version