Keynote address “Life and work of Domingo Moreno Jimenes”

Keynote address “Life and work of Domingo Moreno Jimenes”
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 03/28/2014

Veteran writer Manuel Mora Serrano offered the keynote address entitled “Life and work of Domingo Moreno Jimenes”, as part of the in Pre-Opening events of the XVII International Book Fair Santo Domingo 2014 (FILRD14). In it, he noted that the Caribbean poet has brought great glory to the Dominican literature and that he gains more stature as the years go by.

Mora Serrano spoke with Valentín Amaro, Director of Books and Reading, as well as with Mr. Victor Lee, First Counselor at the Embassy of Panama, and Diomedes Núñez Polanco, Director of the Pedro Henríquez Ureña National Library.

In his presentation he said that Jimenes died at 92 years of age and that his legacy includes some 37 books. Also, he was the creator, along with other poets, of the Postumismo aesthetics current, which developed in the early twentieth century.

He stressed that even when he was a youngster he published several books of poetry, one in 1916. From the beginning, he was welcomed by the literary critics from various countries, who recognized his ability as a renowned poet and mystic.

He promised that during the Book Fair he will share some unpublished data on the poet’s origin, as well as official documents about the poet and his family.

He told stories and revealed aspects of Jimenes’s life which were previously unknown. He said that he was only eight years old when the poet in him surfaced and he showed his inner religious fervor that was present in each of his actions.

He explained that this is a writer who charms and seduces, and that he should not be judged with unfavorable prejudices. He also said that when he wrote his second book he revealed the mastery of the art of verse, which reflect some gray notes and disenchantment.
Mora Serrano said that Jacinto Pérez and other critics at the time valued the poetic ability of this son of America who decided to promote himself by traveling from town to town wandering and selling his books himself.

He revealed that in 1950 he was appointed by dictator Trujillo as Director of the Osvaldo Bazil Poetry Institute.

The FILRD14 will be held from April 24th to May 5th at the Plaza de la Cultura Juan Pablo Duarte, located in the National District. It is being organized by the Ministry of Culture.