Nicolás Guillén PDF

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Notes on the author Nicolás Guillén as well as his works - Cantos para Soldados & Sones para turistas as well as notes on the poems from the 'Tengo' collection...

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Nicolás Guillén ‒ 1902-1989; Camagüey ‒ Fundamental message of collection is equality and not to be fighting against each other - coming together to do what needs to be done to change  Soldier and people are the same, shouldn’t be fighting against each other ‒ Mixed Spanish-African-raced parents ‒ 1920 – studied law in Havana, Cuba (didn’t finish, economic reasons) ‒ Father was a journalist and a rebel, killed by Cuban government in uprising against Mario García Menocal ‒ After father’s death – worked as type-setter ‒ Became involved in literacy circles in Havana; Co-founded literacy journal – 1922 – “Lis” ‒ 1926 – Havana – Sunday newspaper “Diaria de la Marina” ‒ “Ideales de la Raza” – life for black Cubans; tries to validate black Cuban culture within a predominantly white community – was successful at this ‒ ‘Negrista’ movement – most authentic of the writers (majority were white) ‒ International community began to recognise these writers after the BOOM – there were always there just not as recognised ‒ The Literary Canon – Fundamental must-read books by these authors ‒ Fragile links with high society due to high levels of corruption ‒ Decrease in the powers of the working class and civil liberties ‒ Introduced economic programs to attract foreign investors ‒ U.S. Telephone Company Rate Increase ‒ Per capita income decreased by 18% between 1952-53 Literacy Canon – established by white European/American men ‒ Guillén considered important for LA Literacy Canon  He supported the revolution whereas Arénas didn’t ‒ “Motivos del Son” – 1930  Afro-Cuban dance popular at the time ‒ Plays w/ Afro-Cuban vernacular, colloquialisms (Cuba/Barrios) ‒ Duo-ethnic make-up of the population ‒ Work is always political in nature

‒ Positions black culture in Cuban literacy high culture ‒ Most of work can be set to music; musicality of the island ‒ It successfully places black culture as legitimate in high Cuban culture ‒ Exiled by General Batista in 1957 ‒ Went to Buenos Aires for 2 years until end of revolution - 1957 ‒ Castro gave him title of Poeta Nacional ‒ Became diplomat within Castro regime ‒ Prior to revolution was active internationally in terms of speaking out against inequality and fascism in the 1930’s ‒ Was a delegate to International Defence of Writers ‒ Was concerned w/ internal politics - ‘Soldados en abisinia’ / Condemns Mussolini

Cantos para Soldados ‒ Speaking to soldiers as well as the pueblos – sense of peace? ‒ Makes a point of not hating the soldiers as they are Cuban too  ‘No sé por qué piensas tú…’ Soldado, aprende a tirar ‒ Call for revolution against the revolution ‒ I’m here at bottom with you – we are not enemies ‒ As opening poem – sets tone for trying to make peace ‒ ‘La Guardia Rural’  After Spanish-American war – set-up to stop farm raids ‒ Acted as a vigilante system – due to lack of employment ‒ Became a militia paid to protect the American interests – victimising the people ‒ Elbow to elbow, crawling around in the mud – lack of pride ‒ There’s a long way to go…. Many interpretations (for soldiers, society etc…) No sé por qué piensas tú… ‒ Very interesting structure – ‘Yo y tu’ ‘Tu y yo’ – constant fluctuation ‒ Even through pronouns, creating a sense of equality – we are the same thing ‒ ‘Where did you get the idea that I hate you?’ – when young men joined up to join the Guardia Civil, they were thought to believe that the pueblo hated them; became a self-fulfilling prophecy ‒ Leading back to previous poem – down in the dirt, but if they come together, in the street, then they’ll be together shoulder to shoulder – showing pride ‒ Simple message; Move past the hate – Heartfelt message

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‘caminar’ – refers to in 1st poem  Having a direction, having a plan  Trying to create discussion

Soldado muerto ‒ No one knows who killed the soldier and no one cares ‒ Draw readers to the lack of value that the lives of these soldiers have ‒ Open the soldier’s eyes as to who values them and who doesn’t and whose side they should be on ‒ What/Who killed him? – Nobody knows – more importantly, nobody cares  No body was looking out for him, no records for his death ‒ Colonel stands in stark contrast with the questions being asked by the mother and the girlfriend (kiss him, show emotion VS ‘Bury him’ - Have the idea nobody wants to lose somebody from there army ‒ Last verse like song – CHIN (bullets or Drink in a bar) – Soldiers out celebrating ‒ ‘soldier is replaceable’ – not given dignity in the army Fusilamiento ‒ Questions choices and concepts of freedom ‒ ‘brazos atados’ – hands tied ‒ ‘están amarrados’ – tied up ‒ Young men felt that the only choice as to join the militia (also have hands tied) – saying that they don’t have a choice makes it easier for the ‘pueblo’ to forgive them.  Due to the poverty, young men thought this was one of the only ways to survive  They can’t escape, cant run, maybe they aren’t loaded?  Who is eres’?? ‒ You’re a total idiot – can be interpreted numerous ways, don’t know who is having this conversation, the executers or people being shot??  Idiot for thinking that things could be different? ‒ Direct speech – don’t know who is being referred to ‒ Blame put on the superiors

All poems connected in ‘Riesgo y Ventura’ Broken up into chapters – that’s how it was published The risk and adventure of two soldiers Contrast reality of what they could have

‒ Lamenting the plight of the soldiers ‒ A cry for equality ‒ Contrasting choices that they must make as individuals and choices as soldiers to fight for or against the people ‒ Need to stop the violence but maybe violence is necessary to get justice ‒ Idea of “shooting in the wrong direction” ‒ Summarise the content of the whole collection through this set of poems ‒ Opening up communication and listening to each other – rejuvenation

1) Riesgo y ventura de dos soldados ‒ Although the two soldiers may look different on the outside, they are still the same; A white soldier and a black soldier ‒ Van empezado al sol – the use of sun, beating them down ‒ Violence of the soldier and the way that’s felt by the community 2) Una voz en el camino ‒ Equality permits throughout the poem and the entire collection ‒ Sending a specific message to the two soldiers ‒ The path they’re on as soldiers and the path they can embark on for revolution ‒ Commentary on the conditions in which the soldiers live – shared property ‒ Welcome back into the pueblo – what’s mine is yours ‒ Get on, step back and look at the contidions that youre in, look at what you could have ‒ Bullets follow bullets, if you keep fighting, the bullets will stop coming ‒ Wants them to stop fighting, but if another fight is necessary to change then do it ‒ Fight in the right direction 3) Al pueblo pueblo otra vez ‒ The two soldiers have at last reached the village, only they are not sporting any of the army paraphernalia mentioned previously. ‒ The blonde haired and black skinned soldiers ‘supieron… // donde acababa el camino.’ ‒ This son is uplifting and clearly demonstrates the soldiers overcoming their racial differences and returning home together. ‒ The son is written using short lines and a semi-constant rhyming scheme, with almost every line ending in ‘-o’, allowing for its uplifting message to be communicated effectively. 4) Llegada ‒ El pueblo pueblo los vio ‒ Sunny road – more optimistic version as opposed to being overwhelmed by it ‒ Stop on this road of scarcity/misery/hard life ‒ Put down weapons, the idea of what it would be like if they re-joined the pueblo ‒ Different people now, barely recognisable ‒ Nobody will seek revenge, its safe to come back

‒ Nobody will hunt you down for what you’ve done ‒ Presenting idea that they can integrate back into the pueblo peacefully – whether that is true or not is another story ‒ Idea of brotherhood – regeneration ‒ Open communication and listen to each other 5) Canto y futuro ‒ Links back directly to un soledad muerte – valuing the blood of the soldiers – colonels didn’t value the lives of the soldiers ‒ A call for change, move forward ‒ Very emotive, passionate language ‒ Used in order to inspire revolution ‒ Language is used to inspire people into rebellion change – Not saying no to killing, but you have to justify the spilling of blood for the right cause Diana ‒ Call to trumpets and also a roman goddess – goddess of fertility, wild animals and land and childbirth – giving birth to a new Cuba – going to protect those who rebel (her children) – protect the poor and the vulnerable ‒ Optimistic/Positive – song-like – cyclical (first line is last line) – Reiteration ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒

Madrugada – new day, new burst of life She will free them from the cartel – liberate them You will come calling - Idea of rebellion Alfileres – wild tree – red

‒ “hincando todos los ojos” – making everyone see ‒ Idea of being friends with the mendigo – equality – not pretending theyre not there ‒ “Levanta en peso” – she will lift the soldiers, carry and protect them – also liberating them ‒ “Rugirás con voz ya libre” – call for freedom ‒ Going to take back the wealth, going to be redistributed ‒ Diana, in the heart of the fire – burning desire for freedom ‒ Rise up, start a new day, a new Cuba Soldado así no he de ser Distinguishing between the type of soldier he would and would not like to be Would not like to be a soldier from the Guardía Rural Talks about the crimes they’ve committed and the lives that have been lost Pointing how there is a certain level of targeting towards the more vulnerable members of society ‒ They will kill indiscriminately – women, el nino, Racially targeted abuse

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‒ Monstrous image of soldier – bile ‒ Poet’s voice; ‘No he de ser’ – I REFUSE to be

‒ Distinguished types of societies ‒ Lack of honour – the power of the regime ‒ Refusal – sentence structure; Conscious resistances ‒ Imagery beginning – biblical; Final words – Jesus – forgiveness; ‘Forgive them for they know not what they do’ ‒ Enslaved – motif (197-198) ‒

201 – if he was given a rifle; I would tell my brothers what it’s for – ‘hermandaz’

‒ 213 – “Soldado así quiero ser.” ‒

But they don’t give it to me and he tells us why

Desbocados – runaway – wild, uncontrollable – if they got the guns they’d be uncontrollable ‒ 215 – “que no es dél,” – about all the benefits leaving the country – don’t protect that which isn’t yours ‒

‒ Those who work not just for Guardia Rural but also comparing the managers and the people overseeing cutting sugarcane to slave overseers ‒ “tiras arranca de piel,” – Cuban people are enslaved – working the land but not for themselves – American industrialists who are in charge ‒

‘tiras arranca de piel’ – skin coming off their back, being enslaves, whipped – not technically slaves but depending on the US government who claim all their benefits

‒ Negrero – Slave driver Soldados en abisina ‒ Italians in Abyssinia; MUSSOLLINI ‒ See a description of what the Abyssinians go through ‒ Likening this situation to the situation in Cuba ‒ 228/229 – “África / desangrada.” ‒ Italy 7/05/36 took control of Ethiopia (Abyssinians) began invading in 35 with the US without declaration of war ‒ Mussolini is being really tough, but he’s not the soldier, he’s not out there ‒ Africa Sangrada – they’re the ones bleeding ‒ 227 – “en cruz” – on the cross and spread out/stretched on the cross; just finger pointing ‒ 233 – “penetra el continente:” – penetration – a motif for abuse/rape of the minority ‒ Guion was very concerned with black people not just in Cuba but world wide  Linking plight of black people in Africa to that of Cuba ‒ Gendered discourse in war; Arguments used for international intervention – “protect women and children” – rape used as a way of suppressing the people  Idea of penetration, idea of raping a continent, abuse

‒ “con la uña sangrienta, ya clavada” – the blood is on Mussolini’s hands – placing the blame  They can’t talk, when with Mussolini, there is no resistance towards him  The bloody finger – the blood is on his hands – placing blame back on authorities, not just the soldiers ‒ “con la cara tan dura / y la mano tan larga!” – will steal something that’s not rightfully yours; ‘Pirate Devil’ ‒ Mussolini still living a lavish life, he’s still happy ‒ Can contrast that with both the life of the soldiers and the Ethiopians ‒ The soldiers will fall – die – not actually prepared for the weather  The earth and the son of Africa will punish them ‒ “Hormigueros de balas” – bullets will be non-stop ‒ 284 – cremation in the sun - Drying up ‒ 290 – gone, forgotten, nameless Yanqui con soldado ‒ Soldier who is guarding the office of an American officer (diplomat) ‒ The soldier burned in the sun – dead emotionally and psychologically ‒ Rotting liver – the American officer – owner “dueño de mi esperanza” ‒ “y de la soga” – the American diplomat holds the life of the Cuban people in his Hands; This guy controls everything about the future  ‘la soga’ – the hangman’s rope nd ‒ 2 Stanza – American officer – robot-like ‒ “su monóculo” – he’s looking through the monocle through his rifle which is pointed at the Cuban people ‒

“Saco mi voz” – SPEAK UP

‒ The one that you are looking after, takes away the food and land – criticising the soldier ‒

Last stanza – enlighten the soldier – open people’s minds to the reality

‒ “Ya sabrás algún día por qué tu padre gime,” – one day you will know why your father moans – the political realities of Cuba ‒ “la sangre que de tu pecho exprime” – Cuban blood is fattening American economy ‒ The imperialist state that he sees the US as being are keeping the Cuban children down, impoverished, but only because of what the US have already done Elegía a un soldado vivo ‒ Eulogy to a living soldier ‒

First line – talking about a sword

‒ “en dócil vaina,” – sword in the sheath looks unthreatening, inside its bitter, sharp ‒ Presenting the soldier like a samurai and a knight at the same time ‒

“salada espuma y freno bien seguro.” – hunger

‒ “Cuero y sudor, la mano.” – soldier and horse protected ‒ Redondo in this case means all protected ‒ You are going through, all protected, fully sure, lighting up the streets – burning up the houses? ‒ “preso” – maybe soldiers themselves are prisoners - panic stricken, not understanding what’s happening ‒ Maintain a level of sympathy in order to move forward ‒ “ojo elemental” – basic eye ‒ “cielos de punta en tempestad de iras sobre mi pecho a la intemperie y hondo.” – directing all rage and hate at the speaker mentally and physically ‒ Now becoming personal – refuses to speak in Usted, only uses ‘tú’ – refusing to give respect to authority/reiterating idea of ‘hermano’ – we are left unsure ‒ “momia ya en la mortaja:” – already metaphorically dead inside ‒ “en tu machete en cruz, crucificado.” – the soldier is dead (christ-like – having authority) he himself is dead inside ‒

Stanza 5 – tongue is rotten inside head

‒ Zombie-like – body there but decomposing – Themes of rotting, death continues throughout poem ‒ Line 342-347 – reference to slavery ‒ El látigo – whip ‒ Lips are like glass, so dried out- Trying to create the most impactful image that he can – no respite, even saluva causes more pain ‒ “marca, hiere, se moja” – hurts and wet with blood ‒ Line 355 – ode to Cuban landscape; where Fidel Castro and Che Guevara actually fought – LA SIERRA MADRE ‒ 360 onward – likens soldiers to animals – accepting and getting on with things – swaying their tails ‒ When will you rebel and agitate? - You can rise up with the voice of the continent ‒ A pariah in Cuba – cast aside, ostracized (370) ‒ The blood that’s carrying you with it – 372 ‒ Countries within the talons of evil that’s killing people – 380 ‒ Calling for Cuban people to find their voice – 381-388;rebel for change

‒ Line 405 – say that your brothers come first ‒ Line 407 – you are Cuban through and through ‒ “tu amor postrero” – your last love (408) ‒ Line 417 – whip on fire – stark imagery ‒ More images of whipping, this is whats happening – you are beating this down, stop the beating and stop them beating you – REBEL ‒ 419 – say that you’re going to stop and that your brother comes first ‒ 421 – the awakening of the soldiers – not dead but asleep – WAKE UP!! ‒ “con dientes” – aggressive ‒ “con oído” – but also listen ‒ “de húmeda piel cubierto” – no longer drying up and rotting body – body coming back to life – regeneration of Cuba – only way this can happen is if people fight for it ‒ 428 – we will win ‒

430-434 – we will win and will bring Cuba back to life – hopeful

Canción ‒ The soldier comes down from the mountain with determination; dead from tiredness and exhaustion ‒ Change in tone – others were laments but this is a song ‒ 439 – he’s worn down and the horse throws him off ‒ La nina – while the soldier was off protecting foreign interests, his child was killed ‒

Irony begins to creep in – that it’s called “Song” – you’re not there to protect your family and they are being killed

Balada del policía y el soldado ‒ Both coming back to the pueblo ‒ They both beat down their own kind essentially ‒ Soldier used to be a blacksmith and policeman used to be a zapatero ‒

6th stanza – soldier spits at the policeman

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7th stanza – beats the zapatero that approaches him and calls him a fool

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495 – “una luna de hiel” – playing on luna de miel; a moon of bile

‒ A warning – when you become a soldier you become a soldier entirely Exasperated in last few lines; Shooemaker – Policeman – it’s a new day and youre still in your uniform – you haven’t listened Soldado libre ‒

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First time soldier has a name and a voice – speaking in first person singular

‒ Free on the streets ‒ 506 – no one owns me anymore (“Yo mismo dueno de mí”); I am the owner of myself, no longer a slave ‒ Free of the patrols, of uniform and the gun – in contrast to the two in the previous poem who are still trapped - I can run to my pueblo – earlier poem, we wont hold it against you ‒ New day, Rebirth, coming back to life – we see what was called for in previous poems ‒ “ya por fin libre de guardias” ‒

Expressing choice to the soldier – if they choose to stay as a soldier then that’s what they are; will lose your identity that the free soldier now has

‒ “Podré trabajar al sol,” – working in the sun but finally not forced to ‒ “Ser hombre otra vez de paz, cargar niños, besar frentes, cantar, reír y saltar” ‒

Last stanza – I’ll never return to the barracks

Sones para turistas José Ramón Cantaliso ‒ Strong, obsinent, got a back bone, that’s why hes singing gently, doesn’t have to storm in and use violence ‒ Singer both to tourists and locals ‒ Cantaliso – also a play on cantar and liso (gently) ‒ What he’s singing gently is also quite threatening ‒ Audience can focus on words and message that he’s giving ‒ “a los turistas a gatas y a los nativos también” ‒ Alternative way to get a message across – not through violence ‒ “en bares, hachas, bachatas” – bars, romantic settings, nights out; no escape for tourists ‒ “a gatas” – to be on all fours – animal-like – dehumanizing ‒ Deliberstely disrespectful, being clear, unapologetic ‒ “Voz de cancerosa entraña” – voice like cancer – debilitating but can come back from It; Us intervention – eating Cuba alive – giving it a voice ‒ “que es nube prieta después” – la raza negra – situation of black people in Cuba ‒ Song not about fun but want people to listen ‒ No work – unemployment – “Él sabe que no hay trabajo, que el pobre se pudre abajo, y que no perdió el resuello,” – por are rotting at the bottom ‒ People have nothing essentially or have a stamp on their forehead – slavery ‒ Drowning/just about keeping head above water – “o está con el agua al cuello” ‒ They can understand clearly whats happening Cantaliso en un bar

“No me paguen porque cante lo que nos...