Friday, June 30, 2006

World Cup Poetry #7

This is the seventh post of the World Cup Poetry series. Seven is the number of countries that have been crowned World Cup champions. What is amazing here is that six of the eight teams remaining in this tournament have been champions. The only country that is not here, which has been a World Cup champion is Uruguay, which was defeated by Australia in the qualifying rounds and failed to qualify for this tournament. The only two teams of the final eight that have not been a World Cup champion are Portugal & Ukraine, who have played their hearts out. Portugal's coach was the coach of the 2002 World Champion Brazil. Like Brazil, he is trying to defend his title, but after that disgraceful game with Netherlands, Portugal will be without two of its starters, who are disqualified for the next match due to "red cards" (unsportsmanlike play).

June 30, 2006

Germany vs. Argentina

Will the home crowd be able to defend Rodriguez, Crespo, or Riquelme? The German crowd can only do so much. It will be up to the Germans to defend and use their counterattack to hold back Argentina. This game could go down as one of the highlights of this tournament. The winner could very easily make it to the finals and win it all. The Germans have Klose, Ballack, and Podolski on their side, which won't be easy for the Argentine squad. This will be the toughest match for each team. Read what fifaworld.com wrote about this game.

Read about Michael Hamburger, British translator, born in Berlin, here, here and here.

What is poetry without a little music? Carlos Gardel was known as the songbird of Buenos Aires. Read, hear, and view Gardel.

In the tango "Por Una Cabeza" ("By A Head", loosely translated: "By A Hair"), check out the video, even Bukowski would approve of this. At the end of the horse race, Gardel's pony lost "Por Una Cabeza" (and Tommy, Gardel was French-born, so if you want to put some dough on Argentina, you couldn't go wrong).

I can hear my dad's records of Gardel right now. If he were alive, he would be amazed by this site to Gardel. He was not fond of computers, but I'm sure he would get a kick out of these videos. "El d­a que me quieras" is the one song I remember from my father's record collection.

Link to Argentine poet, Carlos Barbarito, translated in Szirine Magazine

Italy vs. Ukraine

Ukraine are trying to make a little history for themselves here against Italy. One of their top players, Shevchenko, plays in the Italian soccer league. He will give the Italian squad all they can handle. Italy will try to impose their will and experience on the Ukrainian squad. This will be an interesting match. Italy can expect a battle. They will need to play well to win. Read about the game at fifaworldcup.com here.

Ukrainian poetry link here: "The Language of a Nation, Reinventing the Poet."

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, London born poet, son of Italian scholar, Gabriele Rossetti, presented here.

Read about Eugenio Montale, world-famous Italian poet here.

July 1, 2006

England vs. Portugal

If you thought the Portugal vs. Netherlands match was rough, wait until these two teams meet. Portugal's coach Scolari has been visible, shouting instructions to his squad, hungry to capture another World Cup title. No, Portugal has not been World Cup champion in the past, but its coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari has, as coach of Brazil in 2002. England is looking to break out with a good game. Although they are still alive, they have not impressed. However, you can't count them out with Rooney and Beckham's long range shots. Deco will be missing from Portugal's squad due to a "red card" he received in the game vs. Netherlands. Portugal has the crafty Figo and Pauletta, who is a dangerous offensive weapon.

Read about England vs. Portugal pre-game preview here on fifaworld.com.

English poet, William Wordsworth, presented here.

Check out English poet, John Milton here, and dig the "old music" (church organ? The phantom of the opera lurking somewhere behind the music?). This is what the "hooligans" will have to listen to if they get out of hand. And go here for other English poets.

Read about Adriana De Barros, Portuguese graphic designer, co-owner of a clothing company, and editor of Scene 360 (The Film and Arts Online Magazine ) here and here.

Brazil vs. France

This will be another monster game. If all goes as most soccer experts predict, Brazil will get by France. With its beautiful style of play sometimes absent in this World Cup, Brazil has relied on its craftiness, experience, and defense to advance. Yes, they score goals in bunches. But sometimes it seems like Brazil is playing with half-a-tank. France is no push-over and has exciting players of their own to match Brazil's brilliance. (Now Tommy and his cohorts at the NSA will try their best to get France into the final four, but France is on their own here, and must rely on Henry & Zidane to be at the top of their game. Ronaldhino has not shined in this tournament. This spells trouble for France, because he is due).

Brazilian poet, Augusto dos Anjos, (Augustus of the Angels) translated by google here.

Louis-Ferdinand Celine, French writer, presented here and here.

A link to "The Art of Being the World's Best Player."

** posted for Luis C. Berriozabal by Christopher Cunningham**

4 Comments:

Blogger christopher cunningham said...

man, great stuff, espec. this tragic and true excerpt:

-----------------------------------
"The totalitarian regimes that ruled Eastern Europe until recently regarded poetry as a permanent source of trouble and a constant cause of concern -- for a rather subtle reason. In "The Captive Mind", Czeslaw Milosz astutely observed that once the mind of the average Eastern European has been trained to accept ideological fetters, then his resistance to the imposed set of values remains predominately emotional. In Milosz's words, "It survives, but it is beaten whenever it has to explain itself in rational terms. A man's subconscious or not-quite-conscious life is richer than his vocabulary. His opposition to this new philosophy of life is much like a tooth ache. Not only can he not express the pain in words, but he cannot even tell you which tooth is aching." One must not forget, however, that it is the very exploring of the not-quite-conscious life and the giving of names to formerly unnamed feelings that is the appropriate realm of poetry. Of all the arts, poetry is the pioneer of name-making. It always attempts to enter a prohibited zone. There is always a danger that it will help an audience to realize which tooth is aching. This is what made poetry dangerous by definition in the view of the regime."
-----------------------------------

keep up the good work, helping us know exactly which tooth...

7:37 AM  
Blogger christopher cunningham said...

and always nice to hear from my dear sis...

how's the kids?

7:39 AM  
Blogger Luis said...

thank you Chris & thank you Cat:

Yes, "hockey on grass," you're right there Cat. Reinventing the Poet, I was drawn to that site, and Milosz's quote. I mentioned Milosz back on the Polish link of World Cup blogging.

Italy & Germany is another dream match-up. Whoever wins that game may very well be the champion. I do like Pizza, but also like Hamburgers. Who is going to win?
I don't know.

11:03 AM  
Blogger Luis said...

Update:

Portugal 0 England 0

(Portugal advanced on penalty kicks 3-1. This game was not as rough as the Portugal-Holland match, but there were some hard fouls & Rooney was red-carded for dirty play. The Portuguese do have some fine actors as well & Shakespeare could have used Figo & Ronaldo in his plays).

France 1 Brazil 0

(or Tommy 1 U.S.A. 0. France capitalized on their chance & Brazil could not put the ball in the net. The beautiful soccer was eschewed in favor of a defensive style employed by its coach (Parreira).

France vs. Portugal on July 5 coming up.

Italy vs. Germany on July 4 coming up.

It will be an all-European final 4 in the World Cup. Portugal looks to join the other three nations in capturing a World Cup. France will be seeking its second title. The Germans and Italians will be looking for a fourth title, leaving them 1 title away from catching up to Brazil's 5 titles.

6:06 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

>