This is a file in the correspondence of Thomas Merton under the heading: "Cortés, Alfonso".
Known as "El Poeta Loco" of Nicaragua, Merton had a profound respect for his works and metaphysical insights. Christine Bochen states that "[i]n a brief essay introducing his translations of poems by Cortés, Merton recalls Ernesto Cardenal's account of seeing Cortés chained to a beam in Rubén Dario's house, where he is said to have gone insane on February 18, 1927 (source: The Courage for Truth, p. 176).
Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.
See published letters from Merton to Cortés in The Courage for Truth, pp. 176-178.
If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.
Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"
# | Date | From/To | First Lines | Pub ✓ | Notes |
| y/m/d | Merton | | Scan ✉ | |
1. |
1965/04/20 (#01) |
TL[c] from Merton |
Je suis très heureux d'avoir entre les mains votre nouveau livre, Las Rimas universelles, |
✓ |
[file includes an English translation from The Courage for Truth and a Spanish translation]
«detailed view» |
2. |
1965/04/20 (#02) |
TAL[x] from Merton |
Je suis très heureux d'avoir entre les mains votre nouveau livre, Las Rimas universelles, |
|
[contains an additional handwritten note, which does not appear in The Courage for Truth]
«detailed view» |
3. |
1965/09/03 |
TL[x] from Merton |
Je vous écris ces quelques pour vous faire savoir que je m'unis à vos souffrances avant le Seigneur |
✓ |
[file includes an English translation from The Courage for Truth]
«detailed view» |
4. |
1965/12/21 |
TLS[x] from Merton |
Je suis très heureux d'avoir votre nouveau livre de poèmes qui sans doute sera un des plus |
✓ |
[file includes an English translation from The Courage for Truth]
«detailed view» |
5. |
1966/05/03 |
other to Cardenal, Ernesto |
Al Padre Ernesto Cardenal. ( en su retiro de Solentiname). [-] Con paz contesto tu parta, padre, |
|
[poem written for Ernesto Cardenal]
«detailed view» |
6. |
1967/10/01 |
TLS[x] from Merton |
J'ai bien reçu l'envoi de vos deux derniers livres et je suis surtout enchante par votre belle |
✓ |
[file includes an English translation from The Courage for Truth]
«detailed view» |
7. |
1969/02/03 |
other |
Alfonso Cortés [-] 9 de Diciembre de 1893 - 3 de Febrero de 1969 [-] León, Nicaragua, C. A. |
|
[photograph and poems - inscribed by Maria Luisa Cortes to the Merton Center, July 15, 1970 - transferred from Sub-Section D.7]
«detailed view» |
8. |
1969/02/no (#01) |
other |
HONRAS FUNEBRES al poeta ALFONSO CORTES [-] León de Nicaragua |
|
[inscribed by Maria Luisa Cortes to the Merton Center, July 15, 1970 - transferred from Sub-Section D.7]
«detailed view» |
9. |
1969/02/no (#02) |
other |
HOMENAJE De La Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua AL POETA ALFONSO CORTES |
|
[photographs and poems - inscribed by Maria Luisa Cortes to the Merton Center, July 15, 1970 - transferred from Sub-Section D.7]
«detailed view» |
10. |
undated/no/no |
other from Merton |
Pour Don Alfonso Cortés, [...] LE SECRET [-] Puisque je suis [-] Imaginaire [-] La belle vie |
|
[poem "Le Secret" with a handwritten note from Merton to Cortés (photocopy)]
«detailed view» |
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