Ruben Dario

Friday, December 14, 2007

Who is Ruben Dario?


My Name is Felix Ruben Garcia Sarmiento best known as Ruben Dario. I was born in Metapa, Nicaragua on January 18, 1867. A year after I was born my parents got divorced and I was adopted and raised by my godfather Colonel Felix Ramirez. At a very early age I was nickname “The poet Child” I began reading at the age of 3 and by the age of 12 I was publishing my first poems. I named my first three poems “La Fe”, “Una Lagrima” and “ELDesngno”. In 1882 at the age of 15 I attempted to secure a scholarship to go overseas to study in Europe, I read my poem “El Libro”. Two Nicaraguan authorities including the president at the time Joaquin Zavala where present to watch read my first poem.
However, in the end my poems where considered too liberal for this reason I was denied the scholarship to study in Europe. Many of the officials present feared that a European education would only further encourage my anti-religious sentiments. Despite the critics opinions of my poem I didn’t have time to sit around so instead of going to Europe I traveled to El Salvador where I met the well known and respected poet, Francisco Gavidia. I had the pleasure of getting to know Mr. Gavidia in a personal level but most of all I had the privilege of having him as a professor. Ms. Gavidia introduced me to the rhythmic structure of French poetry. Which throughout the years has become the cornerstone of my revolutionary verse.

As my life continues



When I was 19 years old I moved to Chile and I dabbled in journalism. That same year I wrote my first novel, Emelina, Which was unsuccessful. Nevertheless,
My poetry received praise in competitions. In Chile, I was confronted with prejudice and racism due to the dark complexion of my skin, compared to that of the European influenced Chileans. Despite my disillusionment and despondency, I continued to be prolific in my writing and published some more popular works such as Azul, "Otonales", and "Primeras Notas".
In 1890 at the age of 24, I married Rafaela Contreras and a year later while living in Costa Rica my son, Ruben Dario Contreras was born. After fleeing from a military coup, my family and I moved to Guatemala where I was recruited in 1892 to represent Nicaragua in festivity celebrating the four-century discovery of the New World. The following year my wife died and I drowned my sorrows in alcohol. Soon after, I involuntarily remarried my ex-girlfriend, Rosario Murillo. Rosario's brother lured me with sex and alcohol, and at gunpoint forced me to marry Rosario. Her brother found us in bed and arranged a marriage in order to restore his sister's honor and reputation. I, who had no recollection of the previous night, awoke the next morning with a hangover and a new wife. Although never divorced from Rosario, Dario fell in love with and lived with my mistress, Francisca Sanchez. In addition, I did not limit my sexual relationships to my wife and mistress and fathered several children, some whom died and others he never met. Throughout my life, I indulged in alcohol and women and I am notorious for immoderate lifestyle.

The rest of my life


In 1893, I was appointed consulate in Columbia by President Miguel Antonio Caro and traveled to Panama and Argentina. In 1896 I published "Los Raros" poems about other writers such as Poe, Lautreamont, and Ibse who I like to be and who I considered my "twin souls". Later that same year I published "Prosas Profanas", a book of poems, which documented my trademark rhythmic style and modernist approach. At 31, I worked for La Nacion, an Argentinean newspaper and I reported impression about the Spanish during its war with the United States. While still working as a poet and journalist, I was named Ambassador of Nicaragua in Paris in 1903. I wrote several poems that exalted my Latino origins and culture such as "Cantos de Vida y Esperanza" and "Viaje a Nicaragua e Intermezzo Tropical". I published my autobiography in 1912.
In 1914 I was honored in New York with a silver medal from the Hispanic Society of America. Later that year, I fell ill to pneumonia and recovered only to find myself financially bankrupt. Colombian poet and friend, Juan Arana had to beg in the streets of New York to support me. I also managed to collect money from friends in Buenos Aries and from the Nicaraguan government. The following year I returned to Nicaragua at the age of 49 ("Cronologia").