People

Abdesselam Yettefti-Ouzekhti

Abdesselam, born in 1950, grew up in an era marked by hope, but also disenchantment. Morocco's independence in 1956 and the adoption of the new constitution in 1962 were moments of euphoria, but were quickly followed by a repressive policy on the part of the regime. His departure from Morocco in 1971 led to forced exile, resulting in personal disgrace and a painful separation from his family and homeland. At the heart of his writing are his aspirations for love, the pain of family estrangement and the political turmoil of his homeland. During forty-two years of exile, he found in writing a form of resistance. His poetry echoes the nostalgia of his childhood, the grief caused by the absence of his family and the memories of his red homeland. Through his poems, such as "Retour" and "Ne reviens plus - ne reviens pas", Abdesselam expresses the heartbreak and psychic suffering of his exile. His words also sound like a cry of despair, bearing witness to the struggles of conscience of the 70s and 80s. His committed poetry reveals the horrors of that dark period, denouncing oppression and institutionalised violence. Despite the torments, Abdesselam also speaks of love, fraternity and hope. His poems "Présage à un amour" and "Rencontre avec la rose solitaire" evoke his romantic relationships and his dreams of a better future. He maintains hope for a flourishing tomorrow, despite the psychological scars of his past. His poetry, at once imbued with vivid pain and moving gentleness, is a powerful testimony to the author's personal history and to a whole painful part of the history of the Moroccan people. It reveals a striking coherence where revolt and hope coexist. It is time for this voice to be recognised and remembered so that it is never forgotten.