Tomás Morales Castellano (1884-1921) was a Spanish poet whose work was framed within modernism, he was also a precursor of Canarian poetry. His lyrical creation was also part of postmodernism, which achieved an important place among the writers of his time..
Morales Castellano's manuscripts were characterized by the grandeur of the verse and his perception of the development of the marine environment. However, his work at first had realistic nuances, and later it became more subjective with a high symbolic content.
The poet could only publish two works while he was alive, because his existence was short. The two titles of which he was able to see the light were: Poems of glory, love and the sea Y The roses of Hercules. However, he had the opportunity to publish several articles and poems in some magazines.
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Tomás Morales Castellano was born in Moya, Las Palmas de Gran Canarias, on October 10, 1884. There is no information about his family life, but it is known that his parents, who were farmers, were concerned that he received a good education and academic training. adequate.
At the age of nine, in 1893, he moved with his family to the capital of the island, began studies at the San Agustín school until finishing them in 1898. Since then he began to show interest in poetry and wrote his first verses. In school years he coincided with the future poet Alonso Quesada.
When he finished his high school studies, he decided to study medicine. So, in 1900, he went to Cádiz. A year later he began his university career and was in that city until 1904. Tomás also made his way into the literary world with the publication of his first verses in the newspaper The Telegraph.
In 1904 the young student moved to the capital of the country in order to finish his medical studies. He also moved from his town to come into direct contact with the literary movement of that time, and to begin his life as a poet in a concrete way..
During his stay in Madrid he became friends with the Canarian writers Ángel Guerra and Luís Doreste Silva. It was they who introduced him to the literary meetings of that time, such as those of the writers Carmen de Burgos and Francisco Villaespesa..
Morales got print media like Latin Magazine Y Prometheus published some verses of what would be his first work: Poems of glory, love and the sea. In 1910 he finished his medical studies, he went to live in his hometown and began to practice as a doctor in Agaete until 1919.
When Morales Castellano practiced as a doctor in Agaete, he met the young Leonor Ramos de Armas, whom he married in 1914. Furthermore, that was the time when the first ideas for one of his greatest works began to emerge., Hercules roses.
The medical professional went to practice in Las Palmas in 1919. Two years later he began in political life, when he was elected vice president of the Island Council of Gran Canaria. However, soon after, his health began to deteriorate and he died on August 15, 1921 in Las Palmas..
Morales Castellano's poetic work was characterized by having a simple and at the same time cultured, descriptive and symbolic language. His poetry enjoyed imperative verses and with a high emotional charge due to the fact that he gave them a lot of subjectivity..
On the other hand, the poetry of the Canarian poet had an intimate and personal melody, because in it he described his perception of the sea and maritime life in general. In addition, the Alexandrian verses, characterized mainly by having fourteen syllables, were predominant.
The short life of Tomás Morales Castellano only allowed him to see two of his works published. The following were posthumous editions, in most cases expanded. The most prominent and representative ones are mentioned below:
- Poems of glory, love and the sea (1908).
- Hercules roses (1919 part II, 1922 part I). This edition was followed by:
- Hercules roses (1956), which was considered the first joint edition of volumes I and II.
- Ode to the Atlantic (1971).
- Sentimental vacations (1971).
- Poems of the commercial city (1971).
- The roses of Hercules (1977. This edition was an initiative of the Island Council of Gran Canaria).
- Hercules roses (1977. Edited in Barcelona, by Barral Editores).
- Hercules roses (1984, which additionally was also composed of the play La Cena de Bethania, which Morales Castellano wrote in 1910).
- The roses of Hercules (1985. It was composed of two volumes).
- Hercules roses (2000).
- Hercules roses (2006. With a critique of Oswaldo Guerra Sánchez).
- Poems of glory, love and the sea (2008. It was a reproduction of the first edition).
- The roses of Hercules (2011).
It has been considered the most important work of Morales Castellano, both for its modernist content, as well as for its design and illustration. Part II of this book came out before Part I, in 1919, most of the poems have mythological content; the most outstanding was Ode to the Atlantic.
In the case of the first book, that is, the one published in 1922, it was composed almost entirely of the writings of Poems of glory, love and the sea. The fact that the work was oriented towards the sea, made Tomás known as "the poet of the sea".
"The sea: the great friend of my dreams, the strong
Titan with cerulean shoulders and unspeakable charm:
in this hour, the noblest hour of my luck,
it returns to fill my lungs and ignite my song ...
the raw soul goes to you, august sea,
Sound Atlantic! With robust spirit,
today my voice wants to solemnize your spirit again.
Be ye, muses, conducive to the achievement of my endeavor:
Blue sea of my homeland, sea of dreams,
sea of my childhood and my youth… sea of mine! ".
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