Juan Luis Panero

Who was Juan Luis Panero?

Juan Luis Panero was a Spanish poet.

The son of Leopoldo Panero, nephew of Juan Panero and brother of Leopoldo María Panero, he was born into a well-off family, receiving his education in El Escorial and afterwards in London. His rebellious and wandering spirit drove him to travel around different countries in America, which gave him the opportunity to meet renowned writers such as Octavio Paz, Jorge Luis Borges and Juan Rulfo among others. He prepared anthologies of poets such as those of his father Leopoldo Panero, Pablo Neruda and Octavio Paz. He made selections of Colombian poetry and contemporary Mexican poetry.

His poetic career started in 1968 with the publication of his book A través del tiempo, followed by Los trucos de la muerte in 1975, Desapariciones y fracasos in 1978 and Juegos para aplazar la muerte in 1984. Antes que llegue la noche in 1985, won him the Premio Ciudad de Barcelona. In 1988 with Galerías y fantasmas, he won the Premio Internacional de Poesía de la Fundación Loewe. He lived in Girona from 1985 onwards.