Federico de Ibarzábal Plá

Poet and short story writer.

He is the author of poetic collections (El balcón de Julieta, 1916; Una ciudad del trópico, 1919; Nombre del tiempo, 1946) and short story books, in which the influence of Kipling and Conrad can be appreciated (Derrelictos, 1937; La charca, 1938).

He is the author of the first anthology of Cuban short stories "Cuentos contemporáneos" (1937). He worked in important national publications. He is co-author of "La revolución de febrero" and "Datos para la historia" (1917). He directed the poetry magazine Apolo (1913). He was head of information at Heraldo de Cuba, El Comercio, and El País. He collaborated in Social, Bohemia, El Día, Mundial, Gráfico, Revista Habanera, Cuba Contemporánea, and Carteles, where he also held the position of editor-in-chief. Author of several books.

He abandoned his high school studies to dedicate himself to journalism, in which he soon excelled. He directed with Alfonso Camín the poetry magazine Apolo, whose first issue appeared in 1915. He was also head of information at the newspapers El Heraldo de Cuba, El Comercio, El País, while continuing to collaborate in Bohemia, Social, Revista Habanera, Cuba Contemporánea. At the magazine Carteles he was editor-in-chief.

Huerto lírico, from 1913, is the first sample of his poetry. Next came a second book, El balcón de Julieta, from 1916—when Ibarzábal was 22 years old—; although critics believe that with Una ciudad del trópico, from 1919, his somewhat sarcastic way of facing life reaches a more complete realization.

Add to this, in narrative, the production of three novels: La avalancha, La casa del Diablo (inserted as a serial in the newspaper El Crisol) and Tam-Tam, considered the most successful in terms of its ability to reveal the Cuban atmosphere. Neither should his short story writing be overlooked (where the sea reigns), gathered in two volumes: Derrelictos, from 1937, and La charca, which appeared a year later.

The author also devoted himself to the essay, and aside from considerations regarding the values of his work in poetry (which gave him the most fame) and narrative, he was an extensively read author throughout much of the first half of the twentieth century and recognized within the journalistic field.

It is said that, upon his death, several of his books of poems and short stories remained unpublished.