La escritura del gremlin (2020) By Federico Irizarry-Natal

 The Gremlin’s Pen: A Look at Federico Irizarry Natal’s La escritura del gremlin

Puerto Rican poetry has always had two faces: one that seeks to define national identity and another that rebels against it. In La escritura del gremlin (2020), Federico Irizarry Natal explores the second—what he calls “minimalismo antipoético”—a poetic movement that challenges traditional literary norms.

What Is the “Gremlin’s Writing”?

The gremlin in the book’s title symbolizes mischief, transformation, and disruption. Irizarry Natal applies this idea to a group of Puerto Rican poets whose work is brief, sharp, and rebellious—a poetry that refuses to conform to nationalistic ideals or established literary conventions.

He studies four works that fit this description:

• Poema en alta tensión by Salvador Villanueva

• Con las peores intenciones and La esperanza es verde como el mugir de las vacas by Edgardo Nieves Mieles

• Casquillos by José David Capiello-Ortiz

Each of these poets uses irony, fragmentation, and satire to challenge the traditional canon. Their poetry doesn’t seek grand, unifying themes but instead breaks things apart, exposing contradictions and absurdities in literature and society.

Minimalism Meets Antipoetry

Irizarry Natal connects this movement to two major literary traditions:

1. Antipoetry, popularized by Chilean poet Nicanor Parra, which uses everyday language, humor, and irony to disrupt poetic norms.

2. Minimalism, which values brevity, simplicity, and sharpness in expression.

By combining these, the poets he studies create a disruptive, countertextual poetry that resists being categorized. Their work exists on the margins—too radical for the mainstream, too playful for traditional literary critics.

A Rebellion Against the Canon

For decades, Puerto Rican literature has been dominated by works that aim to define and defend national identity. Irizarry Natal argues that this “totalizing” vision leaves little room for poetry that is chaotic, fragmented, or openly critical of literary tradition.

The poets in La escritura del gremlin refuse to follow this path. Instead, they use humor, parody, and contradiction to attack the very structures that define what is considered “good literature.” Their work is uncomfortable, unpredictable, and deeply necessary.

Why This Book Matters

Irizarry Natal’s study is important because it gives serious attention to a part of Puerto Rican poetry that has often been ignored or dismissed. It recognizes the “B-side” of Puerto Rican literature—the poets who work outside the official canon, challenging and reshaping it from the margins.

As Puerto Rican literature continues to evolve, studies like this one help ensure that alternative voices are heard, valued, and included in the conversation.

*******

-ER

References:

Quirós-Nadal, Ana. (2021). Especial para En Rojo. Periodico Claridad

Irizarry Natal, F. (2020). La escritura del gremlin. Isla Negra Editores.

Librería Laberinto. (n.d.). La escritura del gremlin - Federico Irizarry Natal. Retrieved March 12, 2025, from https://librerialaberintopr.com/products/la-escritura-del-gremlin-federico-irizarry-natal

Letralia. (2022, September 11). Entrevista a Federico Irizarry Natal: Sobre la escritura del gremlin y la marginalidad poética en Puerto Rico. Retrieved March 12, 2025, from https://letralia.com/entrevistas/2022/09/11/federico-irizarry-natal/

 Academia.edu. (n.d.). La escritura del gremlin (Isla Negra, 2020) de Federico Irizarry Natal: Un acercamiento al minimalismo antipoético en la poesía puertorriqueña. Retrieved March 12, 2025, from https://www.academia.edu/47730407/

Isla Negra Editores. (n.d.). La escritura del gremlin - Descripción de la editorial. Retrieved March 12, 2025, from https://www.islanegra.com/

 Open Library. (n.d.). Federico Irizarry Natal - Author Profile. Retrieved March 12, 2025, from https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL4989586A/Federico_Irizarry_Natal

Editorial Isla Negra. (2022). Publicación sobre La escritura del gremlin. Facebook. Retrieved March 12, 2025, from https://m.facebook.com/story.php?id=100057561823832&story_fbid=1081228553805862