Rafael del Valle (poet)


Rafael del Valle Rodríguez was a Puerto Rican-Spanish poet.
Born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, he studied medicine in the University of Barcelona. He was disciple of Luis Pasteur in his institute. He exerted his profession of Galen in Aguada, Aguadilla, Arecibo, and San Juan, at the same that he cultivated Literature.
Rafael del Valle was the father of Rodulfo del Valle, mayor of Ponce from 1918 to 1920.
Due to his political ideas, he was exiled to Venezuela in 1881, returning in 1898 with the change in sovereignty in Puerto Rico. He was a leader of the party of Luis Muñoz Rivera and member of the Executive Council of Puerto Rico.
His lyric work was compiled posthumously in the book "Poesías Completas" in 1921. He was essentially a romantic poet with incursions in religious, political, progressive, and educative fields.