A Poet

They say that “no good deed goes unpunished.” If you doubt that, just ask Oscar Restrepo (Ubeimar Rios). The middle-aged, modestly talented poet struggles to get by on multiple fronts, but, to be honest, he’s often his own worst enemy, frequently getting in his own way, digging in his heels and refusing to make any compromises that might make his life easier and more palatable. He’s broke financially, living with his aging mother (Margarita Soto), and relations with his largely estranged college-age daughter (Alisson Correa) are severely strained, particularly since she pities him as a pathetic loser. He also pleads with the publishers of his two long-ago released poetry books (Guillermo Cardona, Humberto Restrepo) to provide more marketing support for these titles in the hope that it will attract more readers to his work, something he firmly and sincerely believes is vital to the betterment and survival of society, not to mention his artistic visibility and personal well-being. And, if all this weren’t challenging enough, he’s got something of a drinking problem. But, try as he might to rectify these matters, this “sad poet” (or, more aptly described, “sad sack”) sees little improvement in any of these areas. So, with his back against the wall, he at least finally relents on the financial front and takes a job as a teacher, a position he looks upon with disdain, as if he’s compromising his artistic sensibilities. However, while in this new job, he discovers a student who appears to have genuine talent as a poet, Yurlady (Rebeca Andrade), a 15-year-old minority from an economically challenged background. Oscar wants to help her develop her art, helping her become enrolled in the poetry school run by his publishers, an opportunity that would allow her to participate in its poetry festival, creating greater exposure for her work and possibly enabling her to win a cash prize. It also gives him a chance to vicariously experience her success, something that hasn’t come t...