Spanish Poetry: From Novísimos to Contemporary Voices
Spanish Poetry of the 1970s: The Novísimos
The poetry of authors belonging to this generation felt distant from the Civil War and its consequences. Consequently, it gradually moved away from social issues, seeking new poetic avenues. These poets eschewed realism, embarking on a search that led them to explore themes such as love, skepticism, cultural motifs, and creative freedom.
In 1970, a pivotal cultural event defined the most prominent authors of this generation: José María Castellet published an anthology titled Nueve novísimos poetas españoles. This poetry incorporated surrealist elements and paid close attention to mass media—film, television, comics. It reflected the capitalist consumer society.
Prominent Novísimos Poets
Guillermo Carnero (Valencia, b. 1947)
Due to his strong intellectual training and the continuous introduction of cultural motifs in his poems, Guillermo Carnero represents the cultural inclination of the Novísimos authors. Both he and Pedro Gimferrer have been characterized by their aestheticism, earning them the label “Venetian poets” due to their meticulous poetic elaboration.
Among his works are:
- Dibujo de la muerte (1967)
- El sueño de Escipión (1971)
- El azar objetivo (1975)
- Verano inglés (1999) – Winner of the National Poetry Award and National Critics’ Award in 2000.
Spanish Poetry: From the 1980s to the Present
It is quite challenging to identify the most outstanding authors of the last few decades of Spanish literature. The characteristics of poetry from these years are quite diverse and even divergent. No single direction or predominant trend has emerged. Therefore, the characteristics of contemporary poetry include:
- Authors are geographically dispersed; no single center of attraction (like Paris for the Modernists, or the Residencia de Estudiantes for the Generation of ’27) unites them.
- Numerous poetry contests are organized, mostly by public bodies.
- While there isn’t a clear willingness to break with earlier poetry, a respect for literary tradition is evident.
- In the poetry of the last few decades, no single aesthetic has dominated over others.
- Common themes include autobiographical elements, humor, and irony.
Below are some of the most prominent poets from the last few decades:
Key Contemporary Poets
Antonio Gala (b. 1936)
Antonio Gala is one of the most popular authors in contemporary Spanish literature. He has cultivated poetry, novels, and drama with equal success. He contributes regularly to various newspapers and magazines.
The recurring theme in his poetry is love in all its forms: illusion and disillusion, loss and discovery, in youth and old age, heterosexual and homosexual. In 1959, he won the Adonais Prize with Enemigo íntimo.
Other prominent titles include:
- 11 sonetos de La Zubia (1981)
- 27 sonetos de La Zubia (1987)
- Poemas de Córdoba (1994)
- Testamento Andaluz (1994)
- Poemas de amor (1997)
Luis García Montero (b. 1958)
Luis García Montero is a professor at the University of Granada. He is also a regular columnist for various publications. He is the main representative of critical realism in poetry.
His most outstanding works include:
- Y ahora ya eres dueño del Puente de Brooklyn (1980)
- Tristia (1982)
- Diario cómplice (1987)
- Habitaciones separadas (1994)
- Completamente viernes (1998)