Agustín Acosta (poet)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Agustin Acosta y Bello | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Provisional Governor of Matanzas | |
| In office 1933–1934 | |
| Senator of the Republic of Cuba | |
| In office 1936–1944 | |
| National Poet of Cuba | |
| In office 1955–1961 | |
| Preceded by | Bonifacio Byrne |
| Succeeded by | Nicolás Guillén |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 12, 1886 |
| Died | March 12, 1979 (aged 92) Miami |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | Sara Bernaza |
| Alma mater | University of Havana |
Agustín Acosta y Bello (1886–1979) was a Cuban poet, essayist, writer and politician.[1][2] Acosta is considered by historians to be one of the most important Cuban writers of the twentieth century, and one of the three most important poets in the entire history of Cuba.[3] Acosta was a revolutionary activist, and his poetry reflected his Cuban nationalism. He was both the National poet of Cuba and also one of its Senators, when the Republic still existed. He won awards for his poetry, but also spent time as a political prisoner for criticizing the Cuban President. He lambasted the hegemonic powers of the United States in the Caribbean, but also went into exile there in the last years of his life.[1][2]
Acosta's brother was José Manuel Acosta y Bello, one of the most famous Cuban political cartoonists of his day, who illustrated most of Acosta's poems when they were published in magazines.
Acosta's parents were migrants to Cuba from the Canary Islands.[3] Technically they were not immigrants, because both island groups were possessions of the Spanish Empire at the time.
He was born in a large house on Calzada de Tirry street, at the mouth of the bay, in Matanzas, Cuba.[3] His primary and secondary schools were both in Matanzas.[3][4]
As a young man, he worked as a telegraph operator for a Cuban railroad. Eventually, he rose through the ranks and became the director of the telegraph office.[4] Between 1909 and 1920, Acosta acted as a director of the Telegraph offices of Matanzas and Havana.[4]
Concurrently, while working at the telegraph offices, he was studying law at the University of Havana. In 1918, he graduated with a Doctorate in Civil Law.[3]
In 1921, he became a public notary in Jagüey Grande.[1][2] He lived most of his life in Jagüey Grande.[3]
Political activism and career in government
Acosta was a member of the Minorista Group, one of the most influential group of revolutionary artists in Cuba, alongside his close friend Rubén Martínez Villena. Other members of the Minoristas included; Alejo Carpentier, Juan Marinello, Alberto Lamar, José Zacarías Tallet and Emilio Roig de Leuchsenring.[3] Another prominent member of the Minoristas was Conrado Walter Massaguer, the owner of the magazines Social and Carteles.[5] Many of the contributors to Social were Minoristas.
was active politically and spent long stretches in prison during the regime of Gerardo Machado.
In 1931, he published an open letter against Machado in Revista Bohemia, which sent him to prison for three weeks.[6]
With the success of the Cuban Revolution of 1933, Machado was overthrown and Acosta was no longer classified as an enemy of the state.
From 1933 to 1934, Acosta served as the Provisional Governor of Matanzas.
During the Presidential administration of Carlos Mendieta, Acosta served as his cabinet secretary.
From 1936 to 1944, Acosta served as a Senator of the Republic of Cuba.
From 1936 to 1937, he was the president of the Cuban political party, the Partido Unión Nacionalista.[1][2]
Career as a poet
In 1913, 1914 and 1915, Acosta obtained "Natural Flowers" in the Floral Games held in Santiago de Cuba and Havana.
Together with Regino Boti and José Manuel Poveda he is one of the representatives of the lyrical renaissance that took place in Cuba before the 1920s. As a poet, his writing was marked by nationalist ideals pitted against US hegemony over the island. He was a member of the extinct National Academy of Arts and Letters. He wrote regularly for Cuban publications including;
- El Fígaro
- El Cubano Libre
- Social
- Carteles
- Letras
- Orto
- Diario de la Marina
- Las Antilas
- Ariel
- Archipiélago
Published works
- La Zafra (1926)
- Los camellos distantes (1936)
- Las islas desoladas (1943)
- Caminos de hierro (1963)
- El apóstol y su isla: poemas cubanos, (1965)
- Trigo de luna (1978)
- Poemas escogidos (1988)
- Última poesía (2005)
Some of his popular poems like "Las carretas en la noche" ("Carts in the Night") and "Mediodia en el Campo" ("Midday in the Country") appeared in La Zafra. He also wrote a number of essays on Jose Marti.
