This small publication aims to briefly present some themes of Cape Verdean reality in the work of Jorge Barbosa (1902-1971). It consists of poetry; "Crónicas de S. Vicente"; letters; some articles; interviews; two short stories; a critical review; and an unpublished novel, which he left unfinished. It resulted from the capture of a reality that seemed hidden, but which he managed to publicise through his writing. In this way, the author in question played a necessary role in the construction of an engaged and nationally based literature, which functioned as a mechanism for recording what he visualised in his daily life.