XVII International Book Fair of Santo Domingo 2014 will be dedicated to poet Domingo Moreno Jimenes

XVII International Book Fair of Santo Domingo 2014 will be dedicated to poet Domingo Moreno Jimenes
Santo Domingo, 7 de febrero de 2014

The Minister of Culture, songwriter and performer José Antonio Rodríguez, announced that the XVII International Book Fair of Santo Domingo 2014, with Panama as the Guest of Honor, will be dedicated to writer Domingo Moreno Jimenes, “creator of postumismo” in the Dominican Republic.

The announcement was made by Minister Rodríguez during the launch of “Lunes de Poesía” (Poetry Monday) at the Culture Bookstore, by the docks of the Colonial City. He said that this decision pays a debt the nation had with the famous writer.

He stated that progress is being made in the preparation and setting of the main cultural event in the country. The launch of “Lunes de Poesía” marked the opening of the Pre-Inaugural season of the International Book Fair Santo Domingo 2014, with the attendance of writers, artists, and painters.

The event was attended by the Minister accompanied by Pedro Valdez, Executive Director of the Book Fair; and Valentín Amaro, Director of Books and Reading. Other writers who attended the event were Federico Jovine Bermúdez and Ramón Saba.

The activity highlighted poet Moreno Jimenes’s literary career. He was born on January 7th, 1894, and died on September 23rd, 1986. He received an award in 1967 for his poetry spanning over half a century. Among his books are: Promesa (1916), Vuelos and Duelos, the same year (1921), Salmos (1924), Del Anodismo al Postumismo (1927), Decrecer and Sésamo (1931), among other works.

Discussion on Manuel del Cabral

A discussion dedicated to the work of Manuel del Cabral took place during the poetry meeting held at the Culture Bookstore. Mateo Morrison, National Literature Prize 2010, and Tony Raful, National Literature Prize 2014, made presentations during the event. Alejandro Cabral, son of the late poet, attended the activity and read his father’s profile.

In his presentation, Raful said that del Cabral undoubtedly is the Dominican Republic’s most complete and highest level writer, and the one with the most poetic diversity.

He said that in his poetic work he caught words like they were birds; he was intense and vital in each of his poems, which became large given their quality and depth.

In addition, he stated that his poetry is significant and has a higher lyric voice; it polishes forms and addresses all demands of metaphysics, black poetry, and love.

As he stated, Manuel del Cabral belongs to the generation of independent poets of the 40s in the last century, with a fertile vocation that made poetry a cultural expression of Dominicans.

Poet Mateo Morrison also spoke and made a synthetic analysis of the literary work of the extinct Caribbean poet, stating that “Sangre Mayor” addresses poetry with great thematic variety, establishing that he is a poet who is part of the metaphysical tradition.

Morrison stated that Cabral belongs with the great writers that are considered virtuosos and are notable for the diversity of their work that places them in post-modern poetry.

Both Morrison and Raful were the poets that read the eulogy upon the death of this giant of the Caribbean poetry.

The artistic side of the event showcased Yanela Hernández and Xiomara Fortuna, who performed an excerpt of “Compadre Mon”, a creation of Manuel del Cabral.

Source: cultura.gob.do