I bring to your attention, in the possibility that it will interest you, the Angolan book in Portuguese by the President of the Angolan Republic: Mr. Agostinho Neto, Sacred Space. It is a book of African poetry that denounces [the situation of] an oppressed and dominated people. In this work there’s a poetry of hope and the voice of a people who struggle to be free.

You will want to tell me if this greatly interests you because, being holder of the translator rights, [I believe that] poetic content must normally appear in an important journal, but it goes without saying that I thought of your publishing house first off and will give you priority.

We have indeed received your letter of 16 July 1976, proposing that we publish the poetry of the President of the Angolan Republic.

We cannot follow up on your proposition, since our publishing house does not publish works by statesmen.

Please accept, Madame, our sincere salutations.

(Published in Editions Champ Libre, Correspondance, Vol. 1, Editions Champ Libre, Paris, 1978. Translated from the French and footnoted by NOT BORED! June 2012.)