Jorge Teillier ranks among the prominent twentieth-century poets of Chile. The majority of his work focuses on a wide gamut of scenes that portray life in the Chilean countryside within a highly personalized frame that captures its subtle nuances, yet at times appears temporally detached. The grandson of French settlers in Chile, Teillier always acknowledged his French background while at the same time nurturing his Chilean roots. The influence of his childhood in his hometown of Lautauro emanates throughout his poetry; critics have pointed out that he is a writer who captures the mythical space of his homeland. The southern region of Chile, where Lautauro is located, is associated with the cultural influence of the indigeneous Mapuches as well as with the rough terrain of thick forests and heavy rainfall, a lugubrious combination that allows the poet to teeter between optimistic and pessimistic modes of thought in his...