The Poetry of Joan Maragall and Francisco Matos Paoli: Rootedness and Flight

Both Joan Maragall’s work and that of Francisco Matos Paoli underscore the centrality of the word –and of poetry in particular– as a vehicle for envisioning emancipatory horizons for the Catalan and Puerto Rican nations, respectively. This article contends that the creative impulse emanating from a higher realm, along with Matos Paoli’s notion of “poesía total” and Maragall’s concept of “la paraula viva” constitute a point of convergence between the two authors. Although writing from different hemispheres and at different times, the study concentrates on the spiritual and patriotic dimensions that shape their national songs. More specifically, it brings Matos Paoli’s Canto de la locura in dialogue with Maragall’s “El Cant de la Senyera” and “Cant dels joves”, understanding these works as forward-looking proposals for their respective stateless nations.