TESTEMUNHOS POÉTICOS, LIRISMO E RESISTÊNCIA: ALEX POLARI, AGOSTINHO NETO E XOSÉ LOIS GARCÍA

Abstract

Testimonial literature, closely intertwined with historical reality, is a genre recognized for narratives that address events of trauma, rooted in the act of recollecting the past. Testimony is viewed as a proactive measure to safeguard memory from oblivion. The scope of works under examination can be broadened to include poetry in addition to narratives, as there exist pieces within this genre that embody "testimonial content" (Seligmann-Silva, 2003). The primary aim of this study is to explore the interplay between poetry and testimony through the analysis of poems from the collections Inventário de cicatrizes and Camarim de prisioneiro by Alex Polari, Poemas de Angola, Sagrada Esperança, and A renúncia impossível by Agostinho Neto, as well as selected poems from the extensive poetic repertoire of Xosé Lois García. Drawing on insights from testimonial literature, this research delves into the testimonies conveyed through artistic expression and the resistance that upholds the ethical principles inherent in art, particularly in denouncing various forms of oppression. The thesis is that poetic testimonies can be found at different levels, as demonstrated by the three poets selected: a more forceful testimony in Alex Polari, as he conceives a hyper realistic forceful poetry with direct, cutting and profound language, causing discomfort in the reader, as his poems lay bare the open wounds of the tortured body; a militant testimony in Agostinho Neto, whose militant libertarian poetry is characterized by a cry of revolt and awareness of a people who are called to fight for the freedom of the Angolan nation; and a testimony of solidarity in Xosé Lois García, whose utopian nationalist poetry is based on a profound relationship between individual memory and collective memory, revealing truths about the past in order to act on the present with a view to a better future. The significance of this study lies in showcasing how the testimonial category offers fresh insights into understanding these poetic expressions, as they challenge the silencing enforced by official historical narratives, paying homage and seeking justice for those who perished. The theoretical framework draws on the works of scholars such as Seligmann-Silva (2003), Ferraz (2022), Salgueiro (2011; 2015), Denis (2002), and Bosi (1977; 2002). Methodologically, this research adopts a qualitative approach, grounded in a literature review and critical-analytical literary analysis.