Spanish is a beautiful language, which makes for impressive, gripping, and enticing poetry. Famous for literary giants such as Pablo Neruda and Federico García Lorca, Spanish poetry, from the Golden Age to the contemporary, has come to define much of the Western canon. Here we take a look at some of the best Spanish-language poets of all time.
Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda grew up in southern Chile, and was taught by the famous poet Gabriela Mistral. A naturally gifted poet, Mistral recognized the young Neruda’s talent and nurtured it, giving him the books and support he lacked at home. By the time he finished high school, Neruda had already published in local papers and magazines and had won several literary competitions. After leaving for Santiago in 1921, Neruda completed what is now one of his most critically acclaimed pieces of work, the cycle of love poems entitled Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada (Twenty Poems of Love and One Hopeless Song). From here on, Neruda went on to become perhaps the most famous Chilean poet of his time, producing timeless works throughout his politically complicated and rich life.
Federico García Lorca
Born in 1898, Federico García Lorca was the son of a Spanish farmer, and lived a childhood that was very different from that of Neruda, in that his talents were nurtured. He wrote his first book, Impresiones y Paisajes (Impressions and Landscapes) in 1919, inspired by a trip to Castile with his art class in 1917. Lorca went on to give up university and dedicate his life to poetry, organising theatrical performances and reading poems in public. His Libro de poemas (1921) was a compilation of poems based on Spanish folklore. Much of Lorca’s captivating poetry was influenced by flamenco, as well as Gypsy culture, and he gained great fame and success with his work Romancero gitano (The Gypsy Ballads). A key Spanish poet, Lorca’s works are captivating, descriptive and unique, thanks to his background as a dramatist and novel writer.
Read full article: The Culture Trip
