María Auxiliadora Alvarez published her first poems in literary journals of Cali, Colombia, in 1974, where she was living at the time. Her first book of poetry, Mis pies en el origen (My Feet in the Origin) was published in 1978, in Paramaribo, Suriname. Several books and one anthology were later published in Caracas, Venezuela, such as Cuerpo (Body). Fundarte, 1985 and 1993; Ca(z)a (Hunt). Fundarte, 1990 and 1993; and Inmóvil (Motionless). Pequeña Venecia, 1996; El eterno aprendiz & Resplandor (An Eternal Apprentice & Splendor). Bid & Co., 2006; and Lugar de Pasaje. Antología (A Place of Transition. Anthology). Monte Avila, 2009. A plaquette entitled Pompeya (Pompeii) was published in Mexico by BUAP/LunArena in 2003. Las nadas y las noches. Antología (Nothings and Nights, Anthology) was published in Spain by Candaya in 2009. Her next book, Cuerpo y Paréntesis del estupor (Body and Parenthesis of Stupor) included a third edition of Body, and was published in Mexico by Mantis Editores/UANL, 2011.
Her next book, Piedra en :U: (:U: Stone) was published in Spain by Candaya in 2016. Two new books were published in Mexico, Ca(z)a, Páramo solo y Las regiones del frío, including the third edition of Ca(z)a (Hunt, Lonely Field and Cold Regions) in the title El amor de los enfermos (Sick Love). Mantis/UANL, 2018. The fourth edition of Cuerpo/Ca(z)a was published in Argentina by Nebliplateada in 2019. A plaquette entitled El silencio El lugar (Silence and Place) was published in Spain by Del Centro Editores in 2018. A new anthology, La mañana imaginada. Antología 2021-1978 (The Imagined Morning. Anthology 2021-1978) was published in Spain by Pre-Textos in 2021. Her forthcoming book, A Sun Behind Us/ Un sol caído avanza, is being published in New York by Akashic Books in 2025.
Her poetry has been translated into English, Italian, French, Portuguese, Korean and Rumanian, and she has also translated the work of several contemporary portuguese poets into Spanish, as well as a poetry collection of two North-American poets under the title Dos poetas norteamericanos. Elaine Palencia-Roth and Keith Tuma (Two North-American Poets, Elaine Palencia-Roth and Keith Tuma), published by the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Mexico, 2024.
María Auxiliadora Álvarez has contributed to various international anthologies, literary reviews, journals and newspapers. Her essay book, Fino animal de sombra. De la antigua mística a la escritura urbana (A Fine Shadow Animal: From Ancient Mysticism to Urban Writing), was published by the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México /Secretaría de Cultura, 2017; and her previous essay book, Experiencia y expresión de lo inefable. La poesía de San Juan de la Cruz (Experience and Expression of the Ineffable World. The Poetry of Saint John of the Cross), was published by the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 2013.
Among other honors, she has received the Poetry Prize of the Municipal Council of Cali, Colombia, 1974); the Fundarte Poetry Prize, Caracas, 1990; the María Pía Gratton International Award, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1999; and the Paz Prize for Poetry, 2024, sponsored by the National Poetry Series, Miami Dade College and Miami Book Fair.
maría auxiliadora álvarez 