Luis Lloréns Torres facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Luis Llorens Torres
Luis Llorens Torres
Born	May 14, 1876 Collores, Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico
Died	June 16, 1944 (aged 68) Santurce, Puerto Rico
Pen name	Luis de Puertorrico
Occupation	poet, playwright, politician
Nationality	Puerto Rican

Luis Llorens Torres (born May 14, 1876 – died June 16, 1944) was a famous Puerto Rican poet, playwright, and politician. He strongly believed that Puerto Rico should be an independent country.

Early Life and Education

Luis Llorens Torres was born in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. His parents, Luis Aurelio del Carmen Llorens and Marcelina Soledad de Torres, owned a large coffee farm. Luis grew up in Collores, a part of Juana Diaz. Being surrounded by nature made him love his country and its beautiful landscapes. He was always proud to say he came from Collores. His poem El Valle de Collores even made his hometown famous across Puerto Rico!

Luis's grandfather, Josep de Llorens i Robles, came from Figueres, province of Girona, Spain.

Luis went to school in Mayagüez and Maricao. After finishing school in Puerto Rico, he traveled to Spain. There, he studied at the University of Barcelona. He then went on to the University of Granada, where he earned degrees in Philosophy and Law. While in Spain, he published his first book of poems, "Al Pie de la Alhambra." He dedicated this book to Carmen Rivero, who later became his wife.

Becoming a Politician and Writer

Luis Llorens Torres returned to Puerto Rico in 1901. He got married and moved to Ponce, where he started his own law office. During this time, he wrote some of his best works and met other poets.

When Luis came back, Puerto Rico's political situation was very different. The United States had taken control of the island during the Spanish–American War in 1898. This made Luis want to fight for Puerto Rico's freedom. He joined the Union Party of Puerto Rico, which supported independence. He shared his ideas with people through his poems, like "El Patito Feo" (The Ugly Duckling).

Luis became a member of the Puerto Rican legislature. He served in the Chamber of Delegates from 1908 to 1910, representing Ponce. In 1912, he worked with other leaders like Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón and Manuel Zeno Gandía. They wrote a statement saying it was time for Puerto Rico to be independent. That same year, Luis and his friends started the Independence Party. This was the first political party in Puerto Rico created only to fight for Puerto Rican independence. In 1913, Luis also helped start La Revista de Las Antillas..., a magazine about literature.

The Flag of Lares

Luis Llorens Torres wrote a book called "El Grito de Lares". This book tells the story of a group of people who tried to overthrow the Spanish government in Puerto Rico. They wanted to create an independent country.

In his book, Luis described the special flag made by Mariana Bracetti for this movement. The flag had a white cross in the middle. The two bottom corners were red, and the two top corners were blue. A white star was placed in the top left blue corner. Luis explained what the flag's colors and symbols meant:

• The white cross showed the desire for the homeland to be free.
• The red squares stood for the blood shed by the heroes who fought.
• The white star in the blue square represented liberty and freedom.

His Famous Works

Luis Llorens Torres wrote many poems and other works, including:

• Al pie de la Alambra, a poem from 1899
• La Revista de las Antillas, a newspaper he started in 1913
• Juan Bobo, a magazine
• Idearium, a magazine
• Valle de Collores, a poem from 1940 about his hometown
• Canción de las Antillas, a poem from 1913
• Sonetos Sinfónicos, a book from 1914
• Distant Song, a poem from 1926
• Rapsodia Criolla, a poem from 1935

Later Life and Legacy

Luis Llorens Torres passed away on June 16, 1944, in Santurce, a part of San Juan. He continued to support Puerto Rican independence until the end of his life. He was buried at the Puerto Rico Memorial Cemetery in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico has honored Luis Llorens Torres in many ways. A public housing project in Santurce, called Residencial Luis Lloréns Torres, is named after him. There is also an avenue in San Juan, a high school in Juana Diaz, and a children's academy in New York City named in his honor. You can see a bust (a sculpture of his head and shoulders) of him in front of the high school named after him. There is also a statue of Luis Llorens Torres, made by the sculptor Tomás Batista, in the "Plazita Famosa" in Juana Diaz.

See also

In Spanish: Luis Llorens Torres para niños

• List of Puerto Rican writers
• List of Puerto Ricans
• Puerto Rican literature