The enduring influence of the socialist International Brigaders who fought against fascism during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s cannot be overstated. This collection of poems is a reminder to us of the vital need to reassert again their principles of internationalism and equality. In powerful evocations, Bob Beagrie conjures the experiences of those working-class men and women who left their far-flung homes to make common cause in the first seismic struggle against fascism. As the world is riven again by violent nationalisms and super-charged capitalist rivalries – and from Gaza to the Ukraine the value of human life is denigrated and erased – this book is a rallying cry from history to the present.
 
Poet and editor Fran Lock says of the book: “Romanceros does what only poetry’s best self can do: it sees around corners, through cracks in perception; it lifts to the light and turns from every possible angle, a story we thought we knew by heart. These tightly turned vignettes draw from multiple literary, artistic and historical sources to create a layered lyric archive of the Spanish Civil War. Romanceros’ special gift lies in Beagrie’s attention to detail; in capturing those minute nuances of place and voice. While clearly a writer of depth and daring, this collection reveals him as an exemplary reader and historical listener, equally able to lay bare the obscenity of war and to capture the hope of enduring resistance.”