Entry Question:
Treinta Años/Thirty Years
by Juan Francisco Manzano
When I think about the course I have run,
From my childhood itself to this day,
I tremble, and fain would I shun,
The remembrance of its terrors’ array.
I marvel at struggles endured,
With a destiny frightful as mine,
At the strength for such efforts:–assured
Tho’ I am, ’tis in vain to repine.
I have known this sad life for thirty years,
And to me, thirty years it has been
Of suffering, sorrow, and tears,
Every day of its bondage, I’ve seen.
But ’tis nothing the past–or the pains,
Hitherto I have struggled to bear,
When I think, oh, my God! on the chains,
That I know, I’m yet destined to wear.
After reading this poem by the actual Manzano and as a review, describe how Don Nicolas, Manzano’s mother, and the girls in the kitchen offer him consolation and solace.
Recommended Poems (in Spanish)
Recap and More
In the second and third parts of the historical novel in verse, The Poet Slave of Cuba, Margarita Engle explores the traumatic relationship between La Condesa del Prado Ameno and the young Juan Francisco Manzano. The reader learns about the constant punishment Juan barely endures and how this almost daily torture tries to suffocate Juan’s literary inclinations and his will. It could be argued that the extreme acts against Juan aim to kill him or at least slowly destroy his body and mind.
However, Engle also focuses on Juan’s deep reflections, spirituality, and poetic views.
Presentation(s) by:
Group Discussion
Discuss all the distinct ways young Manzano keeps “writing” verses and “reading” poetry even though the Marquesa del Prado Ameno punishes any literacy activity. Refer to specific poems and/or scenes from this section.