Before Saying Any of the Great Words Selected Poems

This volume selects poems from across Huerta’s career and includes excerpts from the first-ever English translation of his monumental book-length poem, “Incurable,” which one critic called “a masterpiece of poetry in Spanish in the twentieth century.” Huerta has been a central figure in two of the most influential poetic movements in late-twentieth-century Latin America—the neobaroque movement and that of postmodern language poetry. His imagery, intertextuality, and dense lyricism remain unparalleled in Mexican letters. In 2005 he was awarded the prestigious Xavier Villaurrutia Prize for his lifelong contributions to Mexican literature.