One of my favorite Latin American poets is José Martí. I think I am fascinated by the way in which he used his talent as a poet to define Cuban identity and to inspire others to fight for their freedom and independence. It is not surprising that Cubans consider him to be a symbol of their country. He lived as an intellectual and an activist and died as a soldier. My favorite poem, Yo soy un hombre sincero, is from a collection of poems by Martí, Versos sencillos, is a favorite of many. It's rhythm and lyrics have been used to create the song Guantanamera.
Spanish version: Yo soy un hombre sincero
English version: A Sincere Man Am I
The theme of the poem is Cuba. Martí wishes to create an identity for Cuba based on what he loves about his homeland. He identifies with the feeling of not having a home or an identity. He describes Cuba in the same way he describes his own life. The people of Cuba have fought and struggled to live and to free themselves from oppression In the first lines of the poem Martí describes himself as a simple man who lives where the palms grow. He wants life in Cuba to be simple and in harmony with nature. He does not agree with the modern view that land is not living. He sees his homeland as a living being that has feelings and responds to those who love it.
Martí also uses the poem to explain the two problems that exist in Cuba. He wants people to understand what it is like to live trapped between two worlds. Martí lived in many different places during his lifetime so he can relate to the feeling of being torn between a nostalgic love for the place of your birth and the need to live in a new place and to learn new things. He encourage people to meet the challenge of accepting what is new because they will find beauty and love in the struggle.
Martí also explores the theme of death in his poem. During his lifetime he was obsessed with the topic of death. He believes that life gives us suffering and pain. But there is also beauty in life in things such as love. But one must suffer in order to experience the beauty of life. He saw death as an end to suffering and a freedom. In his poem he describes the supernatural state of the poet who is suspended by the mystery of life and death.
One characteristic of the Modernist movement in poetry, in which Martí was a pioneer, was their use of symbols to convey their message. Martí uses a reference of a dark night to describe the challenges that he has overcome. The dark night ends with a light at the end of the tunnel, much like those who survive struggle only to become better people with stronger character and friendships. Cuba is represented by an eagle with a broken wing that must learn to fly again.Spain is represented by a snake who is being killed by it's own venom. Cuba will be like a diamond that is released from the coal that creates it.
I believe that reading Martí gives one an appreciation of Cuba, especially since it is described by one who loves the land and the people. I recently had my Spanish II students read the poem. At first you might think that students who have just starting using the preterite tense of regular verbs would not know enough Spanish to appreciate poetry. But we started by identifying the words we did know. Students highlighted the words they could define. We discussed each stanza and found that they knew enough to understand the sentiment and the symbolism of the poem. When students compared their translations and notes to a translated version of the poem, they were surprised by how much they understood. I have also used this poem in my World and American History courses. I put the Spanish and the English versions side by side and we discuss the poem in the context of Imperialism at the turn of the century. I finish both lessons by sharing the song Guantanamero with students.
