SOURCE: Melnykovich, George. “Nicanor Parra: Antipoetry, Retraction and Silence.” Latin American Literary Review 3, no. 6 (spring-summer 1975): 65-70.

In the following essay, Melnykovich considers Parra's perception that his work is a failure given the intentions of antipoetry.

Since the publication of Poems and Antipoems (1957), Nicanor Parra has become one of the most controversial, if not influential, representatives of Latin American poetry. While some have denounced his antipoetry as non-poetry, recent criticism has been favorable. Edith Grossman's high estimation of Parra is not uncommon:

Nicanor Parra is probably the best known member of the poetic vanguard in Latin America today. … his antipoetry occupies a central position in the great literary effort of our century to create art where it did not exist before. …¹

While we do not reject entirely the critical acclaim which accompanies Parra's work, the praise seems to be inconsistent with the poet's protests and self-confessed failure to achieve...