Carmelo Rivero Unveils Long-Lost Poetry Collection

The Canary Islands literary world is celebrating a new poetry collection called "How the Seas Look. Theory of the Drum Roll of Courtships." Written by well-known journalist and writer Carmelo Rivero, who is an editorial advisor for DIARIO DE AVISOS, the book features illustrations by Juan Luis Calero. Published jointly by the Cabildo and the Center for Canarian Popular Culture (CCPC), the book will be launched tomorrow, Friday, at 7:00 PM. The event will take place at San Borondón Hall in La Laguna, located at Daute Street, number 1, and both the author and illustrator will be there. What makes this collection special isn't just its poems, but also the unusual story of how it was created and later found again, giving it a unique connection to different times.

The book is divided into four parts: "The Immobile Sea," "Drum Roll of Courtships," "Tritons Reigning," and "Last Atom." It ends with a long poem titled "Belvedere," which is dated 2025. The poems explore various themes, from personal reflection and childhood memories to sensuality and social commentary. While most are written in free verse, some sonnets are included. In his introduction, Rivero playfully rejects what he calls the "official doctrine of Poetry with a capital P." Instead, he places his work in a category he terms "poetastantism," suggesting a style that is spontaneous and draws from the tradition of wandering poets, rather than strict academic rules.

The Center for Canarian Popular Culture highlights the unique origin of these poems: the manuscript was thought to be lost but was luckily found in an envelope during a house move, decades after it was written. This discovery gives the poems a new lease on life, as if they've come back from being forgotten to be read today. The author himself feels a deep nostalgia for his youth when he thinks about this work, remembering a summer of intense creativity where he wrote these poems, along with a novel and a short story. Thirty years later, his thoughts on the human condition and island life still feel relevant, especially with current global conflicts, as if they haven't aged at all.

Carmelo Rivero Ferrera, born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1957, is a leading figure in Spanish journalism, with a long career spanning newspapers, radio, and television. He received the Canary Islands Communication Award in 2004, which he shared with his brother Martín, and the Patricio Estévanez Award in 2025 for his lifetime achievements. He has worked with major media outlets like El País and La Gaceta de Canarias, and is particularly known for his interviews with international figures. This venture into poetry, with its fascinating backstory, brings a new depth to his already impressive career.