Sleight of hand. Sleight of Language. Joan Brossa was always fascinated by the subtle and enigmatic language of magic, sleight of hand and conjuring. Many of the habitual elements of conjuring tricks, such as playing cards, dice or top hats, are essential components of Brossa's poetic imaginary. A true homo ludens, he regarded games, enigma and chance as essential elements of the creative personality and the creative act. In all his poetic work, whether in traditional forms such as the sonnet or the sextina, or in the stage poetry, visual poems, objects and installations, the punning language games, the surprises, are a constant and the most effective instrument of the poet's transgressions of form and signification.