Gabriela Mistral

Gabriela Mistral (1889-1957), pseudonym of Lucila Godoy Alcayaga, was a Chilean poet, teacher, and diplomat. She grew up in a village in Chile, becoming a schoolteacher at 15 and later a college professor. In 1914, she established her reputation with her “Sonetos de la Muerte” (Sonnets of Death), which as the name suggests are poems about death, grief, and love. Her writings are characterized with strong emotion with central themes of love, death, sorrow, and motherhood.

Famous works include:

• Desolación (Desolation, 1922) - Book of poems and short essays including the “Sonnets of Death” which explore love, loss, sorrow, and death

• Ternura (Tenderness, 1924 ) - Poems for children and about motherhood, blending lullabies with folk rhythms.

• Tala (Fells, 1938) - Collection of poems covering themes of humanity, the environment, and social solidarity.

Awards:

• Nobel Prize in Literature (1945) - First Latin American woman to receive this award

• National Prize for Literature of Chile (1951)

• Schools, libraries, and cultural centers across Latin America bear her name, reflecting her dual legacy as a poet and educator.