Uruguay has produced many renowned poets who have made significant contributions to the field of poetry in Latin America and beyond.
One of the most famous Uruguayan poets is Juana de Ibarbourou, also known as “Juana de Amรฉrica.” She is known for her sensual and evocative poetry that explores themes of love, nature, and feminine identity.
Other notable Uruguayan poets include Idea Vilariรฑo, who was known for her introspective and melancholy poetry; Delmira Agustini, whose work explored themes of eroticism, sensuality, and death; and Julio Herrera y Reissig, who was a modernist poet and one of the pioneers of free verse in Latin America.
Uruguayan poetry has also been influenced by the country’s unique cultural and historical context, including its geography, politics, and social issues. Many poets have explored themes such as national identity, rural life, and the struggle for social justice in their work.
โIn the Light of the Moonโ by Delmira Agustini explores the power of the moon. The speaker is drawn to the moon due to its white innocence and its power to soothe her soul.
The moon is pallid and sad, the moon is bloodless and cold.
I imagine the half-moon as a profile of the dead ...
And beyond the rekilled and praised pallor
Of Arab pearls, I prefer the rose in recent bud.
‘When We Were Kids’ is written by the Uruguayan poet Mario Benedetti. This epigrammatic poem deals with the concept of death.
When we were kids,
the old ones were about thirty.
A puddle was an ocean,
death plain and simple