Ultraism, Naïve Poetry and Humor in the Early Poetry of Dámaso Alonso: Poemas puros, poemillas de la ciudad

Abstract

This article studies the early poetry of Dámaso Alonso, collected in Poemas puros, poemillas de la ciudad in 1921, through the esthetic filter of his era. We will try to find the influence of the first Spanish avant-garde, ultraism, on the young poet and how he appropriates new techniques (mainly the game of textual dispositions) and implements them in his personal style of poetry writing. Furthermore, his early poetry not only uses as a reference the novel esthetic, but also contributes, through the traditional poetry and a pessimistic poetic tone, elements that are playful and naïve. In addition, the humor plays an important role in these poems with a tone that resembles more Antonio Machado than the ultraists.