Verses Among Citrus
On April 29, 2023, the very first edition of Poecítrics was held in the open air at the gardens of the Todolí Citrus Fundació, in the town of Palmera (Valencia). The event, jointly organized with the Francisco Brines Foundation, brought together three acclaimed voices of contemporary poetry —Juan Carlos Mestre, María Eloy-García, and Mario Obrero— in a unique botanical setting featuring more than 500 citrus varieties from around the world.
Conceived as a tribute to two key figures in Mediterranean culture and landscape —Vicent Todolí and Francisco Brines— Poecítrics was born to weave together words and territory, evoking the emotional memory of the garden, the land, and its fruits. While Todolí has dedicated his life to the preservation and study of citrus fruits, Brines transformed his garden in Elca into one of the most symbolic spaces of contemporary Spanish poetry. This first edition brought their two legacies into conversation.
The event, free of charge and fully booked, was introduced by María José Gálvez, Director-General for Books at the Ministry of Culture, and artistically directed by poet Àngels Gregori, the project’s driving force. Surrounded by blooming orange blossoms and lemon trees, the poets offered a literary journey through citrus-infused verses from classical times to the present day —a Mediterranean song full of beauty, memory, and emotion.
