Lira popular
Lira popular (the People's Lyre), also known as string literature, is a style of poetry that emerged in Chile during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Poets would write and print their works on loose sheets, which were then circulated in urban areas. To promote and share these poems, they were often hung from strings between poles or trees in public spaces. The title "La Lira Popular" was used in 1899 by poet Juan Bautista Peralta on his sheets, and the name came to apply to the whole genre. Many of the authors of these poems were peasants or poets who sought to reflect the voices and perspectives of the people, offering commentary on current events and social issues. Themes Many of the poems in Lira popular revolve around themes such as poverty, love, violence, murder, life, death, crime, and religion. Poets deliberately selected these subjects to pique the curiosity of readers, while the accompanying illustrations vividly depicted the conditions and circumstances of everyday life. Printing Lira popular was printed in various formats throughout its history. The early editions of these popular pages (called "liras") in Chile measured 26 x 35 cm, but they gradually grew in size to 54 x 38 cm. The modern liras maintain a similar size. Each sheet of a lira contains 5 to 8 poems accompanied by pictures and drawings, typically created by the poets themselves. These illustrations serve to depict and enhance the theme of the work. The pictures complement the narrative of the poems. There are two types of images commonly found in lira popular. The first type is woodcut, where rough artwork was provided to the poets for them to describe in verse. The signature of the engraver was often omitted, although Adolfo Reyes was responsible for many of the illustrations. He illustrated his verses using a penknife and raulí board. The second type of image is known as cliché. These preexisting images were not always directly related to the content but were used for decorative purposes. The titles of lira popular are similar to the prominent headlines seen in today's newspapers, employing a large font to attract attention. History In many Latin American countries, news dissemination was often slow, particularly between Spain and Central and South America. The introduction of lira, combined with the printing press, facilitated the faster spread of information compared to relying solely on oral communication. Initially, lira popular was used to reference events occurring in Spain and other countries. However, over time, it evolved into a cultural phenomenon and began to represent a country's own experiences and events. In 1899, poet Juan Bautista Peralta gave his sheets the title "La Lira Popular," possibly to satirize the poetry magazine La Lira Chilena. The name would come to be applied to the whole genre, at least in Chile (for comparison, a similar style in Brazil was called literatura del cordel). To have their poetry published in lira popular, poets had to register their names and take personal responsibility