José Hierro's prominence in contemporary Spanish letters derives from his emergence as one of the most promising younger poets during Spain's post-civil-war era, particularly through his participation with other aspiring writers in the activities of Santander's Proel group (who published in the journal of that name). Hierro has received several awards for his work, which is characterized by an intensely personal quality, a simple elegance of style, and a preoccupation with time and existential concerns. He makes frequent use of repetition and enjambment, and he experiments with a variety of metrical forms, including nine-syllable lines. Hierro's lifelong interest in aesthetics is reflected in the many references in his poetry to specific composers and artists and in his ability to communicate an awareness of subtle differences in color, light, and sound.

Hierro was born on 3 April 1922 in Madrid to Joaquín Hierro and his wife, Esperanza. When...