In the pantheon of Spanish literature, few figures shine as brightly or controversially as Luis Cernuda. Born on this day September 21, 1902 in Seville, Cernuda’s journey from a young, introspective poet to an influential voice of exile and LGBTQ+ representation is a testament to the power of art in the face of adversity.
Cernuda’s poetic journey began in the sun-drenched streets of Seville, where as a shy, introverted child, he found solace in books and the vivid impressions of his native city. At the tender age of 14, he penned his first verses, marking the birth of a poetic voice that would eventually challenge and reshape Spanish literature.
The Spanish Civil War proved a turning point in Cernuda’s life and art. In February 1938, what was intended to be a brief trip to the UK for a series of lectures became the beginning of a lifelong exile. This upheaval, far from silencing his voice, infused his poetry with a new depth and urgency. In works like Las Nubes (The Clouds), Cernuda grappled with themes of displacement and longing, his verses becoming a bridge between his lost homeland and his new reality.
Exile, however, was not merely geographical for Cernuda. As an openly gay man in an era of rigid conservatism, he faced another form of displacement. His frank exploration of homosexuality in his poetry, particularly in collections like Los Placeres Prohibidos (Forbidden Pleasures), was groundbreaking. Cernuda’s unflinching honesty about his sexuality in his work made him a reluctant but vital icon for LGBTQ+ representation in Spanish literature.
Cernuda’s journey led him to academia, where he found a new way to share his passion for literature. He taught at prestigious institutions like the universities of Glasgow and Cambridge before moving to the United States in 1947. His academic career not only provided financial stability but also allowed him to influence a new generation of writers and thinkers.
In the 1950s, Cernuda found a new home in Mexico, where he continued to write and teach. This period saw the publication of some of his most mature work, including Con las horas contadas (With the Hours Counted) and Desolación de la Quimera (Desolation of the Chimera). These collections showcase a poet at the height of his powers, blending personal experience with universal themes of love, loss, and the search for identity.
Cernuda’s legacy extends far beyond his own time. His collected works, published under the title La Realidad y el Deseo (Reality and Desire), continue to inspire and challenge readers today. The tension between reality and desire, a central theme in Cernuda’s work, resonates with anyone who has ever felt at odds with the world around them.
I’d Like to Be Alone in the South
Perhaps my lazy eyes won’t see the south again
With its light landscapes drowsing in the air,
Its flowerlike bodies lying in the shade
Or running away at a gallop like mad horses.
The south is a desert crying as it sings,
And that voice never stops like a dead bird;
It sends its bitter desire down to the sea
Creating a faint echo that takes its time.
I want to be blended with that distant south,
The rain there is nothing but an opening rose;
Its very fog laughs, a white laugh in the wind.
Its darkness and its light are equally lovely.
-Luis Cernuda
Curated by Jennifer
