Cruz María Salmerón Acosta (Born January 3, 1892, in
Manicuare,
Venezuela – 30 July 1929 in Manicuare) was a
Venezuelan poet. His
sonnets were influenced by the movement of
modernismo.
Received his early education in the home of Petra and Carlota González, neighbors of Manicuare. Then moved to
Cumaná
Cumaná () is the capital city of Venezuela's Sucre State. It is located east of Caracas. Cumaná was one of the first cities founded by Spain in the mainland Americas and is the oldest continuously-inhabited Hispanic-established city in South ...
entering in the school of Pedro Luis Cedeño, and attends high school in the Federal Lyceum, in the same city. In 1910 travels to
Caracas
Caracas (, ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, abbreviated as CCS, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the ...
and begins to study political science in the
Central University of Venezuela. By 1911 wrote his first sonnet ''Cielo y Mar'' (Sky and Sea) dedicated to his friend, the poet
José Antonio Ramos Sucre
José Antonio Ramos Sucre ( Cumaná, 9 June 1890 – Geneva, 13 June 1930) was a Venezuelan poet, professor, diplomat and scholar. He was a member of the Sucre family of Venezuela and the great-great-nephew of Antonio José de Sucre. He was educa ...
. In addition, contributes in publications such as: ''Satiricón'', ''La U'', ''Claros del Alba'', ''Élite'', ''Renacimiento'',
El Universal, ''El Nuevo Diario'' and ''Broche de Oro''.
Two years later is diagnosed with
leprosy. Doctors advise him to return to Manicuare to avoid a medical isolation. Salmerón continued in his studies despite the warning. But in 1913, returns to his hometown after the closing of the university by the government of
Juan Vicente Gómez.
After his return, his sister Encarnación dies, and his brother Antoñico was killed by the civil chief of the town. Because of this, Salmerón decides to confront the authority and was jailed for a year in Cumaná. Then comes back to Manicuare, refuging in a small house built especially for him. There he would spend his last fifteen years.
During the month of July, 1929, Manicuare suffers a severe drought. After his death on 30 July, in the town rains again. This coincidence has become part of the heritage of the region, popularly expressed in songs like ''Canción Cumanesa'', of singer-songwriter
Alí Primera.
A compilation of his work was published in 1952 entitled as ''Fuente de Amargura'' (Bitterness Fountain). In 1983, film director
Jacobo Penzo Jacobo Penzo (born 1948 in Carora), is a Venezuelan filmmaker, best known for his drama piece '' The House of Water'', shown in the
Directors' Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival in 1984. The film also represented Venezuela in the Best ...
made a movie based on his life: ''La Casa de Agua'' (
The House of Water). In his honor was named the municipality where is Manicuare.
References
*
Cruz Salmerón Acosta - Universidad de Oriente*
*
ttp://www.sucreturistico.com/cruzsalmeron.htm Historia de Cruz Salmerón Acosta... El poeta de Manicuare - Sucre Turístico*
Life and work of Salmerón Acosta - Letralia*
Cruz María Salmerón Acosta (1892-1929) - El poder de la palabra
External links
*
Sonnet «Azul» (Blue) - YouTube*
Cruz Salmerón Acosta: la historia que canta mi pueblo - Youtube
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salmeron Acosta, Cruz
1892 births
1929 deaths
People from Sucre (state)
Venezuelan male poets
Central University of Venezuela alumni
Deaths from leprosy
20th-century Venezuelan poets
20th-century male writers