Surviving the Ruins: Translating the Apocalyptic Vision of Virginia Leyva’s Poetry. Four Poems from Linguistics for the Fallen.

Virginia Leyva, a prominent voice in contemporary Mexican literature, addresses the socio-ecological crises of her homeland through a blend of colloquial and surreal imagery. Her poetry portrays a world teetering on the edge of collapse, reflecting themes of destruction, identity, and resilience. This introduction to her work in English highlights the challenges of translating Leyva’s deeply cultural and politically charged language. Through a collaborative process, translators Camilo Jaramillo and Julie Ann Ward grapple with the nuances of Leyva’s original Spanish, striving to preserve its rich cultural context while conveying its universal themes. The translated poems—“A Speck of Dust,” “The Kingdom of Silence,” “Pocket Universes,” and “Survivors”—capture Leyva’s haunting imagery and existential reflections, demonstrating her poetic exploration of ecological and societal decay. Their translation emphasizes both the specific Mexican context and the broader human experience, offering readers a poignant reflection on our fragile world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]