Poetry in Modern Life by Manuel María Sánchez was originally delivered in 1922 at the Floral Games commemorating the Centennial of the Battle of Pichincha. Inspired by the spirit of the Jocs Florals—medieval literary competitions born among the troubadours of Provence—Sánchez’s speech draws upon this historic tradition to explore poetry’s enduring power to uplift the human spirit amid a modern world shaped by scientific and material advances. His reflections celebrate poetry as a timeless force for cultural and moral enrichment, a “divine flame” rekindled by the youth who embody the ideals of the Floral Games. My translation includes a brief Glossary, a Translator’s Note, and the original Spanish text, striving to capture the work’s historical depth and resonant language.
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