Poetry closes the Sixth Albatross and Petrel Conference in Barcelona

The 6th International Albatross and Petrel Conference (IAPC6) held in Barcelona, Spain last month ended with scientist and poet Víctor Bonetarbolí reading out a poem he had written especially for the conference in both Catalan and English.  He was introduced by conference organizer, Jacob González-Solís, who gave the closing address, which included making the awards for the best oral and poster presentations by students.  The closing address with the student awards and poetry reading may be viewed and listened to on a video link that can be found on the conference website (click here).

Víctor recites his poem at the IAPC6 Closing Ceremony

potser en altres planetes

s’ocupen més de viure que no pas de no morir
i no busquen problemes per a tantes solucions
que arriben atzaroses
a mans de qui les vol
potser en altres planets
no amunteguen tan de saber
en castells que fan de talaia
o que no vegis res

potser en altres planets
saben que el morir-se
és problema o enigma que es resol en sí mateix:
només cal conjugar el verb

maybe in other planets

they care more about living than about trying not to die
and they do not look for problems to so many solutions
falling by chance
to the hands of a willing man

maybe in other planets
they do not pile so much knowledge
making castles from where to watch over
or that prevent the sight

maybe in other planets
they know that to die
is a problem or enigma that is solved in itself:
you simply need to conjugate the verb

víctor bonetarbolí, Tucston – La Barceloneta – Tucston, setembre 2016

Click here for a report on the conference and a list of oral and presentation presentations on ACAP-listed species and on bycatch issues.

With thanks to Jacob González-Solís.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 20 October 2016