The inspiration of this video poem is a compelling bilingual collection of poetry that navigates the subtle, often fragile, landscape of contemporary existence. Far from offering sweeping declarations, each verse operates in the liminal spaces of dawn and possibility, reflection and contingency—themes encapsulated perfectly by its evocative Romanian and English rhymes.
The conditional phrase introduces an element of philosophical uncertainty, suggesting that reality, identity, and meaning are often contingent upon unspoken or unseen conditions. I want to use this linguistic pivot to explore the fragility of modern life, touching on themes of urban alienation, memory, and the difficulty of authentic connection. The verses are precise, almost surgical, often stripping away excessive ornamentation to reveal the stark, emotional architecture beneath.
The project is part of the subthemes Poetic Infrastructures – Reclaiming Space, Building Commons, Unruly Forms – Experiments in the Poetic Wild.
Author
Florin Spătaru
Born in Tîrgoviște, Romania, Florin Spătaru is a writer, translator, and poet based in Bucharest. He writes short fiction for Romanian magazines such as Dilema Veche, Ficțiunea, and Argos, as well as for French publications including La Nouvelle Quinzaine Littéraire and Le Novelliste.
In 2022, he published his first novel in Romanian, Topaz-Blue Cricket, a reflection on the passage of time, the loss of people, and the stark contrast between the old and the new.
