Silvina López Medin is an acclaimed author known for her works and plays. She hails from Buenos Aires and currently works as an editor at Ugly Duckling Presse in New York. Her latest book, “Poem That Never Ends” (Essay Press, 2021), is a groundbreaking piece written in English, exploring the lineage of three generations of women in her family.
The narrative delves into the shared experiences of hearing loss, emotional wounds, and the art of sewing that connected López Medin, her mother, and grandmother. Through a mix of diary entries, poems, and bolded phrases symbolizing audibility for the hearing-impaired, the book paints a vivid picture of their lives. López Medin employs family photographs and references to art to convey the complexities of memory and heritage.
The poem unfolds with themes of illumination, trying to shed light on the past through letters and memories. The scattered bold words throughout the text represent the fragments of sound amidst silence. The book captures the delicate balance between absence and presence, revelation and discretion, and intimacy and distance, revealing the intricate dynamics within the family.
López Medin confronts her mother’s past, marked by abandonment and unanswered questions, adding layers to the complexity of their relationship. The final poem echoes the repetitive “mama” as a reflection on the multifaceted roles and tensions within motherhood. The book culminates in a poignant and cinematic finale, leaving a lasting impact on the reader.
