Tomás Segovia (Spanish pronunciation: [toˈmas seˈɣoβja]; 21 May 1927 – 7 November 2011) [1] [2] was a Mexican author, translator and poet of Spanish origin. He was born in Valencia, Spain, and studied in France and Morocco. [3] He went into exile to Mexico, where he taught at the Colegio de México and other universities. [3] Segovia founded the publication Presencia (1946), [4] was director of La Revista Mexicana de Literatura (1958–1963), [5] formed part of the magazine Plural, and collaborated in Vuelta. [6] He was married to the writer Inés Arredondo from 1953 to 1965. [7]
At the time of his death he resided in Madrid, Spain. [8]
His work as a poet is not separate from his literary criticism and works of translation. Notable books of poetry include La luz provisional (1950), El sol y su eco (1960), Anagnórisis (1967), Figura y secuencias (1979) and Cantata a solas (1985). Prose works include: Contracorrientes (1973), Poética y profética (1986) and Alegatorio. [3] [9] [10]
Segovia won the Xavier Villaurrutia Prize in 1972, [5] the Juan Rulfo Prize in 2005, [11] and the García Lorca International Poetry Prize in 2008. [2]
In honour of the poet, in August 2012, the National Council for Culture and Arts (Conaculta) announced the US$ 100,000 Tomás Segovia Literary Translation Prize, to be awarded in alternating years for the best translation into Spanish or from Spanish. [12] [13]