March 2025 - Ecuadorian Literature

To María by Pastora Alomía de Guerrero

Translated to English by Richard Gabela on March 24, 2025, from the original work A María by Pastora Alomía de Guerrero (1835–1919) of Ibarra, Ecuador. This poem was published in Parnaso ecuatoriano (1879), edited by Manuel Gallegos Naranjo.

Pastora Alomía de Guerrero

Pastora Alomía de Guerrero (born Pastora Alomía Delgado, 1835 – May 21, 1919) was a poet from Ibarra, Imbabura, Ecuador, celebrated for her lyrical tenderness, harmony, and vivid imagery. After marrying in 1853, she began signing her work as Pastora Alomía de Guerrero or Pastora Alomía Guerrero. Recognized by the press in her time for her poetic talent, she was also a respected figure in her community. Though her poetic output diminished later in life, she left behind a notable body of work, including titles such as Un recuerdo a Pasto (1883), Desahogos y recuerdos (1894), and Una lágrima (1912). Her poems were featured in major Ecuadorian anthologies, such as Parnaso ecuatoriano (1879), where her piece “A María” was included. She died on May 21, 1919, at approximately 84 years of age; while some accounts suggest she may have passed away in Colombia, this has not been definitively confirmed.

Hernando Alcocer

Hernando Alcocer was a Jesuit priest from Quito, known among his contemporaries and fellow Jesuits for the poetic compositions that earned him a reputation as an inspired voice. Alongside his brother Marcos, he helped elevate and strengthen the reputation of the Gregorian University, founded in 1620, through their intellectual and scholarly contributions.

Pedro Alcocer

Pedro Alcocer, the youngest of the three Alcocer brothers, was also a Jesuit and a poet from Quito. He was considered to possess an even greater poetic gift than his brothers, showing particular inspiration as a lyrical voice. According to chronicles from 1674, Pedro died young due to a stomach illness reportedly caused by his repeated fasting, cutting short a promising literary and spiritual life.

Marcos Alcocer

Marcos Alcocer was a 17th-century Jesuit priest and poet from Quito, and brother to Hernando and Pedro Alcocer. He was admired for both the musical quality of his verses and his personal virtues. A professor of theology at the University of San Gregorio in Quito, Marcos authored two Latin theological treatises—De Divinis attributis (1658) and De Visone Dei (1665)—which are preserved in the national library and were written for the instruction of his students.

Joaquín Aillón

Joaquín Aillón (Ambato, 1712 – 1801) was a Jesuit priest, professor, and Latin-language poet from Ecuador, best known for his didactic work Compendio de arte poética. Educated at the Colegio Seminario de San Luis, he joined the Compañía de Jesús and became a distinguished scholar in the fields of Humanities, Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Theology, later teaching at the University of San Gregorio Magno. Although only a few of his Latin verses survive—some criticized for their lack of merit—his enduring legacy lies in his poetic manual, which was translated into Spanish and published by Luis Cordero in 1897. This work, grounded in classical principles and universal reason, was intended as a defense of traditional poetic values against the shifting tastes of the time and remains a valuable resource for understanding Jesuit literary culture in colonial Ecuador.

Note: The name Joaquín Aillón is also found spelled Joaquín Ayllón in several sources, including the Real Academia de la Historia’s online biography, which gives his birth and death dates as June 30, 1728 (Ambato, Ecuador) and March 4, 1808 (Rome, Italy). However, in our profile we have followed the information provided by Luis Gallo Almeida in Literatos Ecuatorianos (2nd ed., 1927), which lists his lifespan as 1712–1801. A local source cited in the newspaper La Hora, quoting Historia de la Provincia de Tungurahua by Prof. Gerardo Nicola L., also gives 1728 as the year of birth and states that he died in Italy “at the end of the 18th century.” Meanwhile, other sources, such as the Antología de poetas hispano-americanos (Madrid, 1894), mention Aillón among Ecuadorian Jesuit poets but do not provide exact dates. Despite these variations, all accounts refer to the same historical figure: a Jesuit scholar from Ambato who taught rhetoric and theology, authored a Latin treatise on poetic or rhetorical theory, and lived in exile in Italy following the Jesuit expulsion of 1767.

Paulette Sánchez Aguilar

Paulette Sánchez Aguilar is an Ecuadorian writer, filmmaker, and multimedia artist whose work explores themes of resilience, self-discovery, and emotional depth. She made her literary debut with “Mujer Corazón”, a short story featured in the international anthology “Trazos del Alma”, published by the Colombian press Mítico. Inspired by her personal experiences living with a pacemaker, her writing delves into the complexities of vulnerability and strength. Beyond literature, Sánchez has built a diverse creative career in film, photography, and children’s books, earning recognition with awards like Best Short Film at the Intercollegiate Film Festival (FIC) in 2015. Her children’s books, “El Conejo Santi Aprende Buenos Modales” and “El Conejo Santi en la Mesa de Navidad”, showcase her ability to engage young audiences. With her work available in multiple countries, she continues to shape the Latin American literary landscape, using storytelling as a tool for connection and introspection.

An Imaginary Lady by Juan Bautista de Aguirre

Translated to English by Richard Gabela on March 5, 2025, from the original work Una Dama Imaginaria by Juan Bautista de Aguirre (1725–1786) of Daule, Ecuador. This poem was published posthumously in Poesías y obras oratorias (1943), but it was written during Aguirre’s lifetime.

To My Firstborn by Joaquín Gallegos Del Campo

Translated to English by Richard Gabela on March 4, 2025, from the original work A mi primogénito by Joaquín Gallegos Del Campo (1873–1910) of Guayaquil, Ecuador. This poem was published posthumously in Mis recuerdos: poesías líricas y cuentos en prosa (1912), a collection compiled by his widow, Emma Lara Calderón.

The Beauty Mark by Nicolás Augusto González

Translated to English by Richard Gabela on March 3, 2025, from the original work “El Lunar” by Nicolás Augusto González (1858–1918) of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Theory of the Flame by David Ledesma Vásquez

Translated to English by Richard Gabela on March 2, 2025, from the original work “Teoría de la Llama” by David Ledesma Vásquez (1934–1961) of Guayaquil, Ecuador.