César Espíndola Pino (Tulcán, 1917–Unknown) was an Ecuadorian author and lawyer. Born in Tulcán, he trained in law and served as Deputy Secretary in Ecuador’s Ministry of Social Welfare, which informed his professional interest in labor and legal issues. His novel Fuego en la ciudad (1941) examines the struggles of a middle-class man facing economic decline. His poetry collection Guijarros (1942) includes micropoems that reflect a minimalist style and themes of nature and impermanence, while Lo que el poeta me dijo (1951) consists of prose poems exploring solitude and introspection. Espíndola Pino also published El caso de “Pusuquí Grande” y anexas (1965), a legal analysis of land and labor disputes in Ecuador. He was associated with cultural institutions such as the Ateneo Ecuatoriano and the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana.
Fiction
César Espíndola Pino’s literary career began with the publication of his novel Fuego en la ciudad (Fire in the City, 1941), which examines the economic struggles of a middle-class man whose fall from financial stability reflects broader social tensions. This character’s decline serves as a lens through which Espíndola Pino explores the impacts of financial hardship and shifting social structures in Ecuador. The novel, written with psychological depth and an evocative style, was well-received by critics. Benjamín Carrión, an influential Ecuadorian intellectual and founder of the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana, wrote the prologue, praising Espíndola Pino’s skill in merging narrative with poetic insight. Other reviews highlighted the novel’s realistic depiction of Ecuadorian life, noting its universal themes that resonated beyond the national context. Antonio Montalvo, writing in La Revista del Grupo América, described Fuego en la ciudad as a novel that provides “a new artistic interpretation of Ecuadorian reality,” praising Espíndola Pino for his ability to uncover “the revelatory and painful motives” of Ecuadorian life that were “common to all social existence.” Montalvo suggested that Espíndola Pino’s approach was almost sociological, using the novel’s characters and conflicts to reflect on the challenges and social dynamics that resonated throughout Latin America.
Inside his poetry collection Guijarros (Pebbles, 1942), Espíndola Pino mentions another novel, La angustia de una juventud (The Anguish of a Youth), as a work in progress. However, there is no evidence that this novel was ever published, leaving Fuego en la ciudad as his only known work of fiction in circulation.
Poetry
Espíndola Pino’s poetry collection Guijarros (Pebbles, 1942), subtitled micropoemas, meditates on everyday objects and natural elements, transforming them into symbols of life’s impermanence and quiet beauty. Using minimalist forms, Espíndola Pino, through vivid metaphors and personification, imbues simple subjects—such as a clock, a tree, or a river—with complex emotional and philosophical dimensions. For instance, in “Cielo,” he describes the sky as a “blue meadow where the sun shepherds its flock of clouds,” capturing a sense of serenity and transience. In “Reloj,” he likens a clock to a monk, whose “rosary of minutes” becomes a prayer to the passage of time. Across these poems, Espíndola Pino invites readers to reflect on themes of mortality, memory, and solitude, blending his legal and social insights with a contemplative, poetic sensibility. In its mix of brevity and depth, Guijarros stands as an introspective exploration of both the material and metaphysical aspects of life.
Espíndola Pino published additional collections that further showcased his contemplative style. Lo que el poeta me dijo (What the Poet Told Me, 1951) is a series of prose poems that delve into themes of solitude, introspection, and the human condition, expanding on the introspective tone first seen in Guijarros. His later collection, Signos en la niebla (Signs in the Mist, 1972), contains an introduction by Augusto Arias and reflects a maturation of his poetic voice, marked by deeper philosophical reflections and an evocative use of imagery. Across these works, Espíndola Pino consistently infused his poetry with nuanced observations on life and nature. His poetic output reveals a writer attuned to the transient beauty of the world and committed to capturing its essence through a minimalist yet resonant style.
Cultural Involvement
In addition to his writing, Espíndola Pino was deeply involved in Ecuador’s literary circles, maintaining memberships in the Ateneo Ecuatoriano and the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana. These organizations, central to Ecuador’s intellectual and cultural life, connected him with influential figures like Carrión, who was instrumental in promoting a distinctly Ecuadorian literary voice. His active participation in these institutions helped strengthen Ecuador’s cultural identity and supported the development of national literature during a time of significant social and political change.
Legal Scholarship
Espíndola Pino’s contributions extended beyond fiction and poetry; his 1965 work, El caso de “Pusuquí Grande” y anexas: el contrato de aparcería en el Derecho Laboral y en el Derecho Común (The Case of “Pusuquí Grande” and Annexes: The Sharecropping Contract in Labor and Common Law), is an in-depth legal text examining a prominent land dispute in Ecuador. The case, known as the “Pusuquí Grande” case, dealt with issues related to sharecropping contracts (aparcería) and explored both labor and common law aspects of these agreements.
In this work, Espíndola Pino provides a detailed analysis of the sharecropping arrangements between landowners and agricultural workers on the estate known as “Pusuquí Grande.” The dispute raised critical questions about workers’ rights, the responsibilities of landowners, and the broader implications for Ecuadorian labor law. Structured as a thorough account of the legal proceedings—including claims, counterclaims, and rulings across multiple judicial instances—the book highlights the complexities of agrarian legal issues in Ecuador, blending factual reporting with legal commentary. Through documenting this case, Espíndola Pino drew attention to the economic and social conditions affecting agricultural laborers in Ecuador, an issue also relevant to land reform movements in Latin America at the time.
Espíndola Pino’s background in law and his role as Deputy Secretary in Ecuador’s Ministry of Social Welfare likely influenced this work, reflecting his commitment to social justice and legal reform. This publication not only underscored his legal acumen but also illustrated his engagement with the social and economic concerns of his time, particularly in Ecuador’s rural landscape.
Poems
Translated by Richard Gabela on November 12-13, 2024 from Guijarros (1942).
ASHTRAY
Odd oyster...
Shell with three crevices,
your pearls have turned to ash.
You know the past,
dark or fair,
of a cigarette
that dreamed of blue wings,
to escape the tedium of lips
and fly to the land of nothingness...
CENICERO
Ostra impar......
Concha con tres hendeduras,
tus perlas se han hecho ceniza.
Tú sabes del pasado,
moreno o rubio,
de un cigarrillo
que quiso tener alas azules,
para volar del tedio de unos labios
al país de la nada.....
RADIO
Fisherman without bait or net,
without boat or sea...
You know the foamless surge
of short and long waves
that rock no ships
and kiss no ports...
Your fish have jazz bellies,
a woman’s throat,
crystal scales,
for the feast of sound
at the cardinal points
of the star of winds.
RADIO
Pescador sin cebo ni red,
sin barca ni mar......
Sabes del oleaje sin espuma
de las ondas cortas y las largas
que no mecen barcos
ni besan puertos......
Tus peces tienen vientre de jazz,
garganta de mujer,
escamas de cristal,
para el festín del sonido
en los puntos cardinales
de la estrella de los vientos.
STARS
Silver spurs
for little black horses
that gallop in silence
across the pampas of night.
ESTRELLAS
Espuelas de plata
para los caballitos negros,
que galopan en silencio
por la pampa de la noche.
PUMPKIN
Grandmother of the garden:
From so much philosophizing about greenness,
you’ve grown pale and bald, pumpkin,
and now your long hair
is a curly wig
of sturdy plants
that gaze down at you
with the pride and petulance
of branches rising
above a donkey or a wall.
CALABAZA
Abuela de la huerta:
De tanto filosofar sobre lo verde
pálida y calva te has quedado, calabaza,
y ya tu larga cabellera
es peluca ensortijada
en fuertes vegetales,
que te miran desde arriba
con la petulancia y el orgullo
de la rama que se empina
sobre el nivel de un asno o de una tapia.
BEER
Dark drink
for the fragile cutout
of silhouettes in a circle...
A dark draught
or a golden one!
Seed of red brilliance
for the fiery sowing
of luminous sprouts.
CERVEZA
Bebida negra
para el recorte frágil
de las siluetas en ronda......
Trago negro
o trago rubio!,
germen del fulgor rojo
para la siembra ardiente
de los brotes luminosos.
Selected Works
- Fuego en la ciudad (1941) – Novel, with a prologue by Benjamín Carrión.
- Guijarros (1942) – Collection of micropoems. Read it for free here.
- Lo que el poeta me dijo (1951) – Collection of prose poems.
- El caso de “Pusuquí Grande” y anexas: el contrato de aparcería en el Derecho Laboral y en el Derecho Común (1965) – Legal analysis of a prominent land and labor dispute.
- Signos en la niebla (1972) – Poetry collection.
- A su memoria: César Andrade y Cordero y otros nueve (1972) – Tribute anthology in honor of Juan Cordero Tamariz, with a contribution by César Espíndola Pino.
References
- University of California Library. Signos en la niebla. Retrieved on November 11, 2024. Click to view
- Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana Library. Lo que el poeta me dijo: poemas en prosa. Retrieved on November 11, 2024. Click to view
- Geneanet. César Espíndola Pino. Retrieved on November 11, 2024. Click to view
- Rodolfo Pérez Pimentel. César Espíndola Pino. Retrieved on November 11, 2024. Click to view
- Theses HAL. Le “haiku” dans la littérature hispanique by Hynde Benachir. Retrieved on November 11, 2024. Click to view
- Tierra del Haiku. César Espíndola Pino. Retrieved on November 11, 2024. Click to view
- Terebess. Haikus by César Espíndola Pino. Retrieved on November 11, 2024. Click to view