Miquel Creus i Muñoz, known by the literary pseudonym Miquel Desclot (born 20 March 1952 in Barcelona, Spain), is a Catalan writer, poet, translator, and essayist. He is recognised for his contributions to contemporary Catalan literature, particularly for translating major works of Italian and English poetry into Catalan and for his involvement in the Catalan literary collective Ofèlia Dracs.
Early Life and Education
Desclot was born in the Clot neighbourhood of Barcelona. He studied Catalan Philology at the University of Barcelona, where he developed an interest in poetry and translation.
Literary Career
Desclot began publishing poetry in the early 1970s. His first collection, Ira és trista passió (1971), earned the Premi Amadeu Oller. He continued to produce poetry, prose, children's literature, and opera libretti. Notable poetic works include Viatge perillós i al·lucinant a través de mil tres-cents vint-i-set versos infestats de pirates i de lladres de camí ral (1974) and Auques i espantalls (1987).
As a translator, Desclot has rendered seminal works of European literature into Catalan, notably the poetry of Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca, and Michelangelo Buonarroti, as well as the prophetic books of William Blake. His translation of Blake’s Lambeth won the Premi de la Generalitat for the best verse translation in 1988.
Desclot was one of the founding members of the Catalan literary collective Ofèlia Dracs (established circa 1976), which sought to promote experimental and genre‑crossing writing in Catalan.
Awards and Honors
Desclot’s work has been recognised with numerous awards, including:
- Premi Amadeu Oller (1971) for Ira és trista passió
- Premi Màrius Torres (1972) for El riu de lava
- Premi Josep Maria de Sagarra (1985) for theatrical translation of Les mamelles de Tirèsies (Guillaume Apollinaire)
- Premi Lola Anglada (1987) for Set que no dormen a la palla (children’s literature)
- Premi de la Generalitat (1988) for translation of Blake’s Lambeth
- Premi Nacional de traducción de literatura infantil (1988) for Versos perversos (Roald Dahl)
- Premi Crítica Serra d'Or (multiple years) for memoir, poetry for children, and translation
- Premi Nacional de literatura infantil y juvenil (2002) for Més música, mestre!
- Carles Riba Poetry Prize (2020) for Despertar-me quan no dormo
Selected Works
Poetry
- Ira és trista passió (1971)
- Viatge perillós i al·lucinant a través de mil tres-cents vint-i-set versos infestats de pirates i de lladres de camí ral (1974)
- Auques i espantalls (1987)
Prose
- Llibre de Durham (1992)
- Montseny, temps avall (1994)
Children’s Books
- El blanc i el negre (1971)
- Set que no dormen a la palla (1987)
- Més música, mestre! (2002)
Translation Highlights
- Dante’s Divine Comedy (selected cantos)
- Petrarch’s Canzoniere
- Michelangelo’s poetry
- William Blake’s Lambeth (prophetic books)
Academic and Professional Activities
Desclot has taught at the University of Barcelona and at Durham University (England), contributing to literary studies and translation workshops. He continues to write, translate, and mentor emerging Catalan writers.
Legacy
Miquel Desclot is regarded as a pivotal figure in modern Catalan letters, both for his original poetic voice and for his role in making canonical works of world literature accessible to Catalan readers. His extensive body of work, spanning poetry, prose, children's literature, and translation, has earned him a prominent place in the cultural landscape of Catalonia.