Types of works

Text

Genres

Literature > Poetry

Literature > * Children's and young adult literature

Socio-cultural movements

Late modern period / Contemporary period > Literary and cultural movements since the end of the 19th century > Literature since the last third of the 20th century

Work

Podries

Date of production: 1998

Types of works

Text

Genres

Literature > Poetry

Literature > * Children's and young adult literature

Socio-cultural movements

Late modern period / Contemporary period > Literary and cultural movements since the end of the 19th century > Literature since the last third of the 20th century

Works

Podries de Joana Raspall - PDF

Com el plomissol. Poemes i faules

 

Podries

Si haguessis nascut

en una altra terra,

podries ser blanc,

podries ser negre...

Un altre país

fóra casa teva,

i diries "sí"

en un altra llengua.

T'hauries criat

d'una altra manera

més bona, potser;

potser, més dolenta.

Tindries més sort

o potser més pega...

Tindries amics

i jocs d'una altra mena;

duries vestits

de sac o de seda,

sabates de pell

o tosca espardenya,

o aniries nu

perdut per la selva.

Podries llegir

contes i poemes,

o no tenir llibres

ni saber de lletra.

Podries menjar

coses llamineres

o només crostons

eixuts de pa negre.

Podries ....podries...

Per tot això pensa

que importa tenir

LES MANS BEN OBERTES

i ajudar qui ve

fugint de la guerra,

fugint del dolor

i de la pobresa.

Si tu fossis nat

a la seva terra,

la tristesa d'ell

podria ser teva.

 

Source: https://www.musicadepoetes.cat/mdpAdmin/media/1662-joanaraspall_podries.pdf (retrieved on 29-03-2022).

Information about the work and context of creation

The author stands out due to her cultural and civic commitment. Her poetic work, like this poem, is partially conceived and written for children. 

"You could" is a reflection on the fact that life can be very different depending on where a person is born. Consequently, she invites to empathise and show solidarity to other people. It approaches people in their human condition, since the major part of differences from one another only come from the fact of being born in a particular place of the world. 

The poem ends with a final thought for solidarity and welcome, with no paternalism, towards those people that have had to leave their home countries to seek a better life, for various reasons.

It is a very popular poem and it is usually used as a reference when international solidarity with refugees and migrants is vindicated. It has also been set to music by several artists and its verses are one of the most shared in social networks. 

Indications

It can be used in Catalan language and literature and can be related to cross-curricular topics, such as peace culture, interculturalism and respect for diversity, etc.; as well as the subject of ethical values and tutorial.

There are activities on the poem You could in the web of amnesty international  http://www.amnistiacatalunya.org/edu/2/dudh/poesia/podries-j.raspall.html, (retrieved on 28/03/2022).

 There are different audiovisual materials on the poem, also set to music and drawn, https://www.musicadepoetes.cat/titol?autor=733&titol=2168, (retrieved on 28/03/2022).

 Other poems of Joana Raspall that have been set to music https://www.musicadepoetes.cat/poeta?autor=733, (retrieved on 28/03/2022). 

Documents