Excellent article - I've been banging the drum about Miguel for about 7 years now. The museum is lovely and the murals at San Isidro are well worth a visit if you're in the Alicante area. I've translated about 30 of his poems and I am looking to publish some of them soon, and have written a series of blogs on my Substack page Tim Fellows Poetry about his life and its interaction with his poetic style. Pablo Neruda and Federico Garcia Lorca (both of whom were inspirations to him) are better known as Spanish language poets outside of Spain but there's something about Hernandez's life and poetry that particularly attracted me. He was full of passion, and incredibly courageous. Then there was the tragedy of his death, and being on the right side of history. He's also impacted my own poetry - he's in my head a lot of the time!
Great article. I am a fan. An interesting fact: María Zambrano, perhaps the most significant female writer of the generation of ‘27 and Miguel Hernandez were lovers, their relationship continued for many years despite his marriage. In some quarters it’s referred to as “a friendship”, but, this all comes from an exhibition in a museum in Jaen, some of his best love poems are believed to be written for the beautiful and sophisticated Maria, rather than his wife.
Excellent article - I've been banging the drum about Miguel for about 7 years now. The museum is lovely and the murals at San Isidro are well worth a visit if you're in the Alicante area. I've translated about 30 of his poems and I am looking to publish some of them soon, and have written a series of blogs on my Substack page Tim Fellows Poetry about his life and its interaction with his poetic style. Pablo Neruda and Federico Garcia Lorca (both of whom were inspirations to him) are better known as Spanish language poets outside of Spain but there's something about Hernandez's life and poetry that particularly attracted me. He was full of passion, and incredibly courageous. Then there was the tragedy of his death, and being on the right side of history. He's also impacted my own poetry - he's in my head a lot of the time!
Europe mustn’t forget. The world mustn’t forget. Thank you Kathleen, for taking us on this powerful journey.
Thank you for this article and the photographs. He's marvellous. Something of Nazim Hikmet echoes through his poems, the clarity and force.
Great article. I am a fan. An interesting fact: María Zambrano, perhaps the most significant female writer of the generation of ‘27 and Miguel Hernandez were lovers, their relationship continued for many years despite his marriage. In some quarters it’s referred to as “a friendship”, but, this all comes from an exhibition in a museum in Jaen, some of his best love poems are believed to be written for the beautiful and sophisticated Maria, rather than his wife.
Thank you. It'd be great to see the Spanish here, too, alongside the translations.
I first read Miguel Hernández decades ago in Spain and loved his work then. Thank you for this delightful essay that nudges me to go back to his work.
Thanks for the introduction to a new poet!
Beautiful post, Kathleen.
Thank you for the introduction to Miguel Hernández and your beautiful piece. I feel a trip to Alicante coming on!