Gelman, Juan

Gelman, Juan,

1930–2014, Argentine poet, b. Buenos Aires. He published more than 20 books of verse. Many of his poems reflect his left-wing political views, speaking out against oppression and injustice; his numerous essays and articles in the Argentine press expressed similar views. Other themes of his poetry include the enduring power of art and the strength of language. An opponent of the right-wing junta that took control of the Argentine government in 1976, he was forced into exile in the 1970s, first to Europe, then the United States, and finally Mexico, where he lived until his death. His son and his pregnant daughter were among the "disappeared" killed by the military regime, and he was not reunited with his kidnapped granddaughter until 2000. Half a dozen of his works have been translated into English, including Unthinkable Tenderness (1997), The Poems of Sidney West (2009), Between Words (2010), and Com/positions (2013).