José Pérez Dorta presents his poetry book 'From Ash to Dream' in Arrecife

The literary evening held last Wednesday night at the Agustín de la Hoz House of Culture in Arrecife, left a deep mark of emotion, sensitivity, and shared affection among all attendees. At 7:30 p.m., this emblematic cultural space hosted the presentation of the poetry collection From Ash to Dream, by the multidisciplinary creator José Pérez Dorta, whose artistic and human trajectory remains closely linked to the island memory of Lanzarote and Gran Canaria.

Trained in applied arts and with more than three decades dedicated to teaching disciplines such as sculpture, design, and artistic crafts, José Pérez Dorta has managed to build his own voice where life experience, identity, and landscape as an emotional territory converge. His poetry, serene and committed, unites technical rigor with a deep social sensitivity, bearing witness to an intimate and collective gaze on the land he inhabits.

From Ash to Dream is presented as a poetic journey through the memory, consciousness, and heart of islands marked by fire and the ocean. His verses traverse childhood anchored in the volcanic land, love, grief, social denunciation, and hope, tracing a sentimental geography where lava, the sea, and the word become refuge and resistance. In each poem, the roots to the land and the desire to preserve the emotional memory of a people beat.

The event, simple in form but profoundly emotional in content, was attended by a notable audience that filled the permitted capacity of the Agustín de la Hoz House of Culture. José Pérez Dorta was supported at all times by family members, teaching colleagues, and numerous friends who wanted to accompany him on such a special night.

The presentation began with a brief and sincere speech by the author, who emotionally thanked everyone for their presence before giving the floor to the book's prologue writer, Javier Alonso. Subsequently, several members of the "Tomás Armas" Poetry Club offered readings of some poems from the book, each bringing their particular sensitivity and closeness to the texts. Participating in this emotional recital were Luz María Duque, Milagros López, Feluco Betancort, and Paca Umpiérrez, with José Pérez Dorta himself closing the reading section with the contained emotion of someone sharing a part of his soul through the written word.

The reading of the poems was delicately accompanied by the chords of the guitar, masterfully performed by Luz María Duque, whose music contributed even more intimacy and beauty to an evening charged with emotion.

One of the most endearing moments of the night was the presence, in the front row, of a very special guest for the author; his mother Doña Pepita, who at 92 years old followed every moment of the event with emotion and pride. Her presence symbolized, in a way, the root, the memory, and the family love that also run through the pages of this poetry book.

At the end of the presentation, the audience responded with a prolonged and warm applause that showed the affection and recognition for José Pérez Dorta. After the traditional protocol photograph, the signing of copies took place, a moment in which friends, readers, and colleagues congratulated the author, who, visibly moved and grateful, kept thanking them amidst hugs and words of affection.

Without a doubt, the presentation of De la ceniza al Sueño was much more than a literary event; it was an encounter with memory, friendship, culture, and shared emotion; a night where poetry once again demonstrated its ability to unite hearts and give voice to the deepest roots of our land.