Emma Romeu translates her concern for the birds of Yucatan into poems

Wings in the Mayab is an independent book that celebrates the richness of the birdlife of the Yucatan Peninsula through 26 poems. In it, the author of Cuban origin Emma Romeu combines her experience as an environmental journalist and her passion for poetry to sensitize the reader about the importance of conserving Mexican birds.

In interview with The Day, In the context of the presentation of his work at the Hartii Cultural Center, in Mérida, Yucatán, Romeu commented that the idea of ​​this collection of poems originated during the journalistic tours he made in that region to document the situation of the mangroves, as well as the red flamingo, crocodiles, manatees and corals, which face challenges due to urban expansion and agricultural activities.

The idea arose when a bird fluttered before me in a park in Mérida. At that moment I decided that I should write these verses. After doing journalism, years and years of writing articles, I realized that I had to use all available means to raise people’s awareness about the importance of birds.

Wings in the Mayab It is a collection of verses dedicated to emblematic specimens, such as the ocellated turkey, the perlita and the Yucatecan parrots and the red flamingo. The poems are accompanied by illustrations by Ana Morales, who places them in the context of the flora with which they have a close exchange through pollination, seed dispersal and pest control.

The illustrator’s search and artistic effort is commendable to subtly offer the warmth of its habitat to each bird surprised in the print.says the prologue of the publication.

Romeu related that for the creation of this book he was in contact with bird scholars, searched scientific literature on the specimens, documented the Mayan words used to name them and observed the populations in the region. Although it is a book of poetry, it is not fiction..

During the search for information about the birds, the author indicated that she faced several challenges. I noted the tremendous need for more studies, particularly on endemic species. There is a lack of research on their eating habits, reproduction, longevity, the state of their populations and the use they make of their habitats, among many other particularities..

He highlighted that at the end of the book the bibliography that was used during the preparation of this volume for the knowledge of the birds of Yucatan is detailed. These sources can be useful for those who like to know about the mentioned species.

For the writer, it was not a problem to achieve a balance between her interest in environmental protection and lyrical language: When the verses emerge, they drag down everything else. When you have the information, when you have the data, you can let the poetry emerge, and everything else will come with it..

He warns that with lyrics he has achieved another effect that is not always achieved with journalism. I see that people are sensitive, they react, no matter if they know birds or if they are interested in environmental conservation, when they come into contact with the poems, they show openness, they get excited.

Mexico is home to more than 1,120 species of birds, and almost half live in the Yucatan Peninsula, according to Mexico’s National Biodiversity Commission. Despite laws that protect birdlife, such as the official Mexican standard NOM-059-Semarnat-2010, many face critical threats due to the lack of effective implementation.

Romeu discovered this region more than 30 years ago, when he worked for the magazine biodiversity, from Conabio, where he wrote popular science articles on the state and use of biodiversity in the coastal areas of Yucatán and Quintana Roo.

This area fascinates those of us who know it. I visited it as a journalist, I moved here for a while, and with the love for the country that welcomed me during my emigration, I aspire for the preservation of Mexican birds to be a reality.

Romeu indicated that with Wings in the Mayab He asked the birds to lend him their wings to let the poetry fly and awaken in those who read it the desire to protect the rich diversity of the Mayab.