Miren Agur Meabe awarded Spain’s National Poetry Prize

For the first time, a book written in Basque has won Spain´s National Poetry Prize, and the credit goes to Miren Agur Meabe (Lekeitio, 1962). Meabe was acclaimed for her book of poems titled ‘Nola gorde errautsa kolkoan’ (Susa, 2020). The jury highlighted the book’s "reflections on desire, death, nostalgia and the passing of time, combined with the search for enjoyment through words," adding that her poems expressed "the sadness of the passing of years and unwavering vitality and freshness". The prize carries a cash award of 20,000 euros, granted by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sport.

Meabe has worked in many literary genres throughout her career, mainly poetry and children´s literature, but she has also worked in adult fiction. Her award-winning works include the collection of poems ´Azalaren kodea´, Spanish National Critics´ Prize 2000, and her 2010 collection of poems ´Bitsa eskuetan´, Basque Critics Award for Poetry.

According to the jury, the prize-winner is "a book of mature poems by one of the Basque Country’s greatest contemporary poets". "What begins as a book of memories expands to include a variety of voices, styles and tones," the jury added.

The book includes poems written over the last decade, building a bridge between darkness and light, offering the perspective created by the passage of time displaying a never-ending flow of images.