Rafael Pombo

He was born in Bogotá, Colombia in 1833, and dead in Bogotá in 1912. He was a colombian poet, the highest romanticism writer in Colombia and one of the main romantic lyrical poetry figure in Spanish language. 

The Rafael Pombo's relevance in the literature has been overshadowed by the success of his fables and tales destined to children, all those kept intact by their popularity until our days.

Life story

Drawing by Gado

Pombo's family was part of the creole aristrocracy: his father, Lino de Pombo O'Donnell, was a prominent politician, soldier and a diplomatic man. He got married with Ana Rebolledo in Popayán, a lineage woman. Rafael was firsr-born son.

As was custom, Mrs. Ana taught to Refael the first letters. At 11 years old, in 1844, Rafael joined in a seminar, he learnt Latin and he became a classic's translator skilled. 

It seems the Poetry tendency in Pombo was born early. When he was 10 years, he had copied verses and translations in a booklet that he titled "Panteón literario" (Literary mausoleum). In 1846 Rafael joined to "Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario" a school where he studied humanities. In 1848 he graduated in mathematics and engineering from Military school, founded by General Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera. Pombo never practiced as a engineer, it's known that he made some field research to the Bogotá's urban improvement.

Just graduated, Rafael Pombo was member of "Sociedad Filotémica", journal in which he debuted with poetry, also with the pseudonym of "Firatelio".

Rafael took a rest in a family home where wrote two of his most known poems: The wine glass and My love, signing with the pseudonym of "Edda". Everybody thought that was a woman who wrote them till Pombo revealed his authorship. 

In 1855 he traveled to New York as colombian's delegation secretary. There he stayed 17 years, he lived in Washington and Philadelphia (there he was consul). Maybe was the nearness with a different culture that gave his work another point of view. Pombo translated English, french and german poets. In New York he published his tales "Cuentos pintados para niños - 1867" (Painted tales for children).

In August 20, 1905, Rafael Pombo was crowned as Natioal Poet in "teatro Colón". 

In February 6, 1912 he replaced Manuel María Mallarino as member in the Language Colombian Academic, where he was life secretary.

Rafael Pombo's work

Together with José Asunción Silva, Rafael Pombo is the colombian poet most prominent in XIX century. Lucky by his economic comfort, he was the first man to take over the art of poetry as main activity all his life.

In a colonial environment, Pombo created a new kind of poetry in the continent, his lyrical poetry set up subjectivity and philosophical meditation, sensible feeling about love and nature, religious feeling and the use of the experience. 

God, nature and women are always the protagonist in his works, also feelings as rebellion, vigor and irony, for that he's considered devoted and devilish.

Drawing by Gado

In 1855 Rafael wrote "La hora de las tinieblas" (hour of the dark), great poem made up by 71 tenths, it was considered one of his most representative works. Between all the great Pombo's poems wrote in North America has been standed out "Al Niágara" (To Niagara) and "Elvira Tracy". There Rafael shows a continuous disagreement between modern civilization and pastoral life, between usefull and disinterest, between the natural and unnatural.

Finally, it should be pointed out Pombo's bent to children literature, where he loosed to the mythical and magic. In his American period made public two collections of short tales in verse: "Cuentos pintados para niños - 1867" (Painted tales for children) and "Cuentos morales para niños formales - 1869" (Moral tales to formal children). The first one belonged celebrated poems as "El renacuajo paseador" (The walker tadpole), "El gato bandido" (The bandit cat), "La pobre viejecita" (The poor old Lady) and "Simón el bobito" (Simon the silly). The second one was "Mirringa y Mirronga" and "Fuño y Furaño".

The gracefulness of these poems have reinforced the fantasy of countless generations and even today there are hugely popular; so much so that Rafael Pombo is nowdays known for his tales than for his romantic lyrical poetry.

Biography taken from briografiasyvidas.com