Among the many historic street signs in San Miguel is one in colonia Guadalupe named "Margarito Ledezma." Unfortunately misspelled with a "z" instead of an "s," it is one of the many city streets named in honor of literary luminaries.
The renown poet and writer Margarito Ledesma lived many years in San Miguel, dying here in 1974. He is the author of works such as Poesías (Poems) and Tradiciones y Leyendas de Sanmiguelenses (San Miguel Traditions and Legends).
Others among the many literary street names include:
• Calle Ignacio Ramírez. Known as "El Nigromante," Ramírez was a prominent 19th-century poet, journalist, and liberal politician. His legacy is celebrated at the Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramirez "El Nigromante," also known as Bellas Artes, located in the former convent of La Concepción. He was known as the Necromancer for his daring views that challenged political and religious norms.
• Calle Juan de Dios Peza. Named for the prominent 19th-century Mexican poet, journalist, playwright, and politician, Peza was known as "the poet of the home" for his lyrical and accessible style focused on family life and everyday values. Many of his poems were made into popular songs.
• Calle Francisco González Bocanegra. Bocanegra was a lyric poet, playwright, theater critic, orator, and columnist, best known as author of the verses of the National Anthem of Mexico, whose music was written by Jaime Nunó — another artist with a San Miguel street named for him.
Still other street signs that honor the arts more generally, paying visible tribute to those who have enriched our city's cultural heritage, include:
• Calle Padre Mojica, named for the renown Mexican tenor and actor, who retired in San Miguel de Allende and contributed generously to the city's cultural development. His former residence became the Hotel Villa Santa Mónica, on the street that bears his name.
• Calle Stirling Dickinson (we cannot forget), named for the American artist and cultural promoter, and a key figure in establishing San Miguel de Allende as a vibrant artistic community.
Margarito Ledesma
Margarito Ledesma (1887-1974): Involuntary Humorist
Margarito Ledesma was the literary pseudonym of Leobino Zavala Camarena, a Mexican lawyer, notary public, and politician. Born on June 28, 1887 in Comonfort (formerly Chamacuero), Guanajuato, Zavala adopted this alias to develop a unique poetic voice that combines humor, social criticism and satire, earning him the self-proclaimed title of "involuntary humorist."
Leobino Zavala studied law at the State College in Guanajuato, graduating in 1910. He practiced law as a notary public in San Miguel, where he also founded the Commercial, Nursing, and Midwifery Secondary School in 1930, serving as its first director. He was also a federal deputy in the 27th Legislature and a state deputy in the 36th Legislature of Guanajuato.
Zavala created the character of Margarito Ledesma as a fictional figure, presenting him as a naive, provincial poet who sent him his verses for review and publication. It began as a way to entertain his ailing mother, who enjoyed the humorous verses he wrote. After his mother's death in 1932, Zavala vowed to publish these poems in her memory. The pseudonym also served the purpose of separating his public and professional life from his poetic pursuits.
The main work attributed to Ledesma is the book Poesías de Margarito Ledesma: Humorista Involuntario (Poetry of Margarito Ledesma: Involuntary Humorist), first published in 1950. It is his only published work of poetry and combines humor, satire, and social critique. Due to its popularity, this collection has been reissued several times, including in an anthology titled Su inútil servidor (Your Useless Servant) by Margarito Ledesma, published in 1999 by the University of Guanajuato and the State Congress.
Among his most recognized poems is "Orillejos," a piece that plays with the traditional ovillejo form, a 10-line Spanish poetic form popularized by Cervantes, using wordplay and local references to create a lighthearted and nostalgic effect. This poem is notable for its wit and its portrayal of life in the towns of Guanajuato. Here are some of its verses, presented here in Spanish – the playful rhyme is unfortunately lost in translation:
