American Writers: Ramón López Velarde

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Ramón López Velarde (06/15/1888-06/19/1921), poet and essayist. López Velarde was one of the most important and authentic poetic voices in Spanish American literature in the period of transition from Modernism to the movements of the vanguard. Born on June 15, 1888, in Jerez in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico. In 1914 he established permanent residency in Mexico City. In 1919 Velarde published "Zozobra", considered by the majority of critics to be his major work. It was heavily ironic and drew both from his provincial upbringing and his recent experiences in the city. Contributed articles to several metropolitan journals and was active also in the administration of Cultura, and important publishing house for intellectuals of the period. Died prematurely of bronchial-pneumonia in 1921.

López Velarde literary production is rather small, since he published only two books of poetry in his lifetime: "La sangre devota", 1916 and "Zozobra", 1919 . Posthumous works include his collection of poetry "El son del corazón", 1932, and two prose collections: "El minutero", 1923, and "El don de febrero y otras prosas", 1952.