Manuel Machado Ruiz , born in Sevilla on August 29th and dead in Madrid on January 19th, was an important spanish poet and playwright, and brother of the famoes poet Antonio Machado. He studied at the Institución Libre de Enseñanza of Madrid, run by his grandfather’s friend Giner De Los Rios. Afterwards he studied Philosofy at the University of Sevilla and In 1902 Manuel published “Alma” , his first book.
In 1906 Manuel Machado wrote “Fiesta Nacional”, one of the most beautiful poems about bullfighting:
Una nota de clarín
desgarrada,
penetrante,
rompe el aire con vibrante
puñalada.
Ronco toque de timbal.
Salta el toro
en la arena. Bufa, ruge…
Roto cruje
un capote de percal…
Acomete rebramando,
derribando
a caballo y caballero.
Da principio
el primero
espectáculo español.
La hermosa fiesta bravía
de terror y de alegría
de este viejo pueblo fiero…
Oro, seda, sangre y sol.