Spotlight On Writers
Francisco Bravo Cabrera
- Where, do you hail from?
Valencia, Spain is my home. My family hails from La Mancha, and Asturias, Spain. I lived for a long, long time in the United States, mostly in Miami and upon arrival there in New York. I actually attended High School in the US and there learned many things as well as befriending many people. While living in Miami I lived within the Cuban exiled community which loves art and has produced so many fantastic poets and painters, as well as writers, dancers and musicians. From that fountain of knowledge and creativity I learned a lot. After all, little differentiates a Spaniard from what Cubans were before the Revolution.
- What is the greatest thing about the place you call home?
Being that my home is Valencia, I must say that the people are wonderful, classy, stylish, yet humble, cordial, helpful and decent. It’s not an expensive city, I mean low rent, low crime as well and great bars and restaurants. The weather is fabulous. We are a Mediterranean city where, although it does get rather hot in the summer, it is quite mild in the winters. And our food is absolutely fantastic, after all we invented the “paella”, and our wines are pretty good too. This area of the Iberian peninsula is really blessed and it gives us the opportunity to hike through forests, go mountain climbing and finish the day off at a blue flag beach. We’ve an international airport, we have fast trains and the second port in importance in Spain, so we are easily communicated with all of Europe, Asia, America and the world. Who could ask for anything more?
- What turns you on creatively?
The process of investigation, the work, research, trial and error, constant practice. Practising your art every day, as much as possible, is how you develop talent and talent drives the creative process. I believe we are all born with creative urges, some are artistic, some scientific, some otherwise, but creativity is part of everyone’s life. However, not everyone is inclined towards the arts. To be an artist is a choice and then it becomes a hard job. To keep working one must have discipline and dedication. And although I’ve heard it say that art is the result of creativity, I think creativity goes much further than that.
- What is your favorite word, and can you use it in a poetic sentence?
Hmm…my favourite word…At the risk of sounding cliche, I will say LOVE.
“A love that kills is a love that never dies…”
I cannot limit my love of words to just one. Poetry is the art of words and using them as tools one creates the idea and the idea carries within it the emotion and the emotion is the way to express your feelings and through such an expression we communicate. It is a chain reaction that begins with a word.
- What is your pet peeve?
I think that means “something that especially annoys you”. So I will say that stupidity…stupid people…surely annoys me. Ignorance, not too much, an ignorant person can be changed once he/she learns what they are missing. But stupidity is done and lived on purpose. It is pernicious, dangerous and extremely annoying. A stupid person is one who refuses to learn, to mature, to grow. And without growth there is no sign of life. To me, those that go on an ignorance strike, meaning that they will not, desire not, and want not to learn are simply stupid people. Wouldn’t you say? Harmony and coexistence should be a goal for neighbourhoods, countries, the entire world, and those who stupidly adhere to ridiculous beliefs that impede such unity simply will never reach it and lamentably they also stop the process for us all.
- What defines Fransisco Bravo Cabrera?
- 51 - August 23, 2024
- No te Olvides de Mi - June 23, 2024
- Making History - March 27, 2024
