Guillén, Rafael

b. 1933, Granada

   Poet

   Thematically Guillén's poetry falls into three categories: existentialist poetry, represented by collections such as Antes de la esperanza (Before Hope) (1956); love poetry, as in Moheda (1979); and social poetry, typified by Vasto poema de resistencia (Vast Poem of Resistance) (1981). Guillén's poetry evolves from an early preoccupation with form towards moral commitment, and an engagement with the transcendental problem of time, death and nothingness. His love poem Moheda is the best example of a fusion of the ethical and the aesthetic. His poetry is clear, rich and precise, and he makes skilful use of classic metres and free verse. He received the National Poetry Prize in 1994.

   Further reading

   - Muñiz-Romero, C. (1979) "Rafael Guillén, misterio y límites" in "Moheda", Litoral 85–7: 7–23 (contains an excellent in-depth introduction).

   JOSÉ ORTEGA