Insight from Miguel Avero (trans., Jona Colson)
The poem "Costumbre"/"Habit is a tribute to mate. Mate is a hot infusion that is drunk in Uruguay and Argentina mainly, but also in Paraguay (although there they drink it cold, and it is called by another name). For Uruguayans, mate is a custom; gatherings always have mate that unites conversations and hearts. The solitary person – and the writer who is essentially a solitary person – feels accompanied by mate. When I write, I alternate between mates and verses, sips and reflections.

Insight from Miguel Avero (trans., Jona Colson)
In my collection, La Pieza (The Room), there are two poems entitled “Escaleras/Stairs.” The symbolism of the staircase is very old and appears in almost all cultures, generally referring to ascent and has spiritual connotations. In this poem, it refers to descent, to falling.

Insight from Jona Colson:
Translating these poems was an exercise not only in craft, but also in culture. Having been to Argentina I was familiar with mate, but I learned how much it plays a role in Uruguayan daily life. Translation offers the stairs to other countries.

Jona Colson is an educator and poet. His poetry collection, Said Through Glass, won the Jean Feldman poetry prize from the Washington Writers’ Publishing House. His poems, translations, and interviews have appeared in The Southern Review, Ploughshares, LitHub, and elsewhere. He is currently a professor at Montgomery College in Maryland where he teaches English as a Second Language. He is co-president of the Washington Writers’ Publishing House and poetry editor of WWPH Writes. He lives in Washington, DC. 

Miguel Avero is a poet, narrator, essayist, teacher, and researcher whose work has been translated into English and French. He writes literary reviews for the weekly Brecha and has appeared in various national and international anthologies. Since 2011, he has published nearly a dozen books of poetry and fiction. Between 2017 and 2018, he directed the writing workshop "Puerta Quimera." He lives in Montevideo, Uruguay.