José Emilio González

José Emilio González, born in Gurabo, Puerto Rico on February 18, 1918, was a writer and poet. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Liberal Arts (specializing in Spanish, French and philosophy) from the University of Puerto Rico, where he also served as a professor from 1946-1948 (Social Sciences) and again from 1956-1963 (Humanities). From 1960-1962, he served as Director of the University Library during which he was also named President of the Literary Section of Ateneo Puertorriqueño. He obtained his Masters Degree from Boston University.

In New York City, Emilio González worked as a translator for the newspaper, La Prensa, until 1944 and again as a translator for the United Parcel Service from 1949-1950. He followed that with graduate studies at Columbia University and the University of Chicago. In 1952 he served on the Puerto Rico Legislature for the Puerto Rican Independence Party (Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño-PIP). He earned his PH.D. at the Sorbonne University in Paris in 1967 with a thesis on Puerto Rican Poetry.

Photo via UPR

His literary works have been published in many publications and include:

• La poesía contemporánea de Puerto Rico (1930-1960)
• Soledad Absoluta
• Parábola del Canto
• Hostos Como Filósofo

And many more.....

José Emilio González died in 1990.

Otoño

¡Oh qué frondosidad de árboles muertos

se te va sollozando por el pecho

y qué abortada voz llena el silencio!

Amigo, no te escapes de mi eco.

Tu cuerpo negro es carbón sincero.

Allí el ala se funde con el viento,

allí estallan los ojos en las puntas del fuego.

Sonar te ví por los cielos de hojalata,

doblar la aguda cima de tu espejo.

Partir la honda columna enceguecida

y con estrellas frías asaetear tus dedos.

¡Oh tambor derramado al pairo de una lágrima!

¿Quién te clavó la mano aserrada en el tiempo?

Para los que tendidos velamos tu alegría

llueva tu olor de sombra y tu niebla de cedro.

Poem courtesy Tainoworld.com