Welcome, young scholars, to an exciting journey into the heart of poetry! Today, we delve into Richard Blanco’s evocative poem, “América,” a vibrant tapestry of culture, identity, and the universal experience of finding one’s place. Prepare to explore the rich language and profound themes that make this poem a true gem.
América
By Richard Blanco
I.
Although Tía Miriam boasted she discovered at least half a dozen uses for peanut butter,
topping for guava shells in syrup,
butter substitute for Cuban toast,
hair conditioner and relaxer,
Mamá never knew what to make
of the monthly five-pound jars
handed out by the immigration department
until my friend, Jeff, mentioned jelly.II.
There was always pork though,
for every birthday and wedding,
whole ones on Christmas and New Year’s Eve,
even on Thanksgiving day, pork,
fried, broiled, or crispy skin roasted, as well as cauldrons of black beans,
fried plantain chips, and yuca con mojito.
These items required a special visit
to Antonio’s Mercado on the corner of Eighth Street
where men in guayaberas stood in senate
blaming Kennedy for everything, “Ese hijo de puta!”
the bile of Cuban coffee and cigar residue filling the creases of their wrinkled lips;
clinging to one another’s lies of lost wealth,
ashamed and empty as hollow trees.III.
By seven I had grown suspicious, we were still here.
Overheard conversations about returning had grown wistful and less frequent.
I spoke English; my parents didn’t.
We didn’t live in a two-story house with a maid or a wood-panel station wagon nor vacation camping in Colorado.
None of the girls had hair of gold;
none of my brothers or cousins were named Greg, Peter, or Marcia;
we were not the Brady Bunch.
None of the black and white characters on Donna Reed or on the Dick Van Dyke Show were named Guadalupe, Lázaro, or Mercedes.
Patty Duke’s family wasn’t like us either, they didn’t have pork on Thanksgiving, they ate turkey with cranberry sauce;
they didn’t have yuca, they had yams like the dittos of Pilgrims I colored in class.IV.
A week before Thanksgiving I explained to my abuelita about the Indians and the Mayflower, how Lincoln set the slaves free;
I explained to my parents about the purple mountain’s majesty, “one if by land, two if by sea,” the cherry tree, the tea party, the amber waves of grain, the “masses yearning to be free,” liberty and justice for all, until finally they agreed: this Thanksgiving we would have turkey as well as pork.V.
Abuelita prepared the poor fowl as if committing an act of treason, faking her enthusiasm for my sake.
Mamá set a frozen pumpkin pie in the oven and prepared candied yams following instructions I translated from the marshmallow bag.
The table was arrayed with gladiolas, the plattered turkey loomed at the center on plastic silver from Woolworth’s.
Everyone sat in green velvet chairs upholstered with clear vinyl, except Tío Carlos and Toti, seated in folding chairs from the Salvation Army.
I uttered a bilingual blessing and the turkey was passed around like a game of Russian Roulette.
“DRY,” Tío Berto complained, and proceeded to drown the lean slices with pork fat drippings and cranberry jelly, “esa mierda roja,” he called it.
Faces fell when Mamá presented her ochre pie, pumpkin was a home remedy for ulcers, not a dessert.
Tía María made three rounds of Cuban coffee, then Abuelo and Pepe cleared the living room furniture, put on a Celia Cruz LP, and the entire family began to merengue over the linoleum of our apartment, sweating rum and coffee until they remembered that it was 1970 and 46 degrees in América.
After repositioning the furniture, an appropriate darkness filled the room.
Tío Berto was the last to leave.
América Summary: A Journey of Cultural Blending
Richard Blanco’s “América” is a beloved narrative poem that beautifully captures the essence of childhood, cultural assimilation, and the intricate dance between heritage and new traditions. This poignant poem resonates deeply with readers as it explores the speaker’s personal memories and his family’s navigation of life in a new country, blending their Cuban roots with American customs.
The poem opens with a charming anecdote about peanut butter, an initially foreign item to the speaker’s Cuban family, highlighting their resourcefulness and eventual adaptation. Food traditions serve as a central motif throughout, with the unwavering presence of Cuban staples like pork, black beans, and yuca con mojito contrasting with the gradual adoption of American holiday fare, such as Thanksgiving turkey. The speaker observes his family’s initial longing for their homeland, reflected in wistful conversations about returning, which eventually fade as they become more rooted in their new surroundings. Through vivid imagery and heartfelt details, “América” celebrates the merging of diverse cultures, illustrating how a unique American identity is forged through shared experiences and evolving traditions.
Central Ideas and Noteworthy Insights
At its core, “América” explores the profound themes of cultural difference, memory, and the joyful celebration of life despite challenges. The poem powerfully demonstrates how people from diverse backgrounds coexist and contribute to the rich tapestry of the United States. Despite differing cultural norms, habits, and culinary preferences, families find ways to come together, adapt, and create new traditions. The poem serves as a nostalgic reflection of the speaker’s childhood, capturing his keen observations of the American landscape and its inhabitants through the lens of an immigrant child. The initial desire to return to their native land gradually diminishes as the family becomes more rooted in their new home, symbolizing a journey from displacement to belonging. This exploration of identity and adaptation makes “América” universally relatable, capturing the challenges and rewards of immigration and cultural exchange for anyone seeking to understand the immigrant experience.
América Analysis: Unpacking Literary Devices
Literary devices are the masterful tools writers employ to convey ideas, evoke emotions, and create impactful meaning within their work. These techniques enhance the text, making it more engaging and revealing deeper layers of interpretation. Richard Blanco expertly uses a variety of literary devices in “América” to enrich the poem’s narrative and thematic resonance, drawing readers into the family’s world.
Imagery
Blanco masterfully uses imagery to engage the reader’s senses and create vivid mental pictures. This allows readers to experience the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of the poem’s world.
- Visual imagery brings scenes to life, such as the description of the men at the market:
“men in guayaberas stood in senate
blaming Kennedy for everything, “Ese hijo de puta!”
the bile of Cuban coffee and cigar residue filling the creases of their wrinkled lips”This image not only shows the reader the scene but also conveys the men’s frustration and the atmosphere of the market.
- Sensory details extend to the Thanksgiving feast:
“The table was arrayed with gladiolas, the plattered turkey loomed at the center on plastic silver from Woolworth’s.
Everyone sat in green velvet chairs upholstered with clear vinyl”These lines paint a clear picture of the family’s efforts to create a festive, albeit humble, American Thanksgiving.
Simile
Similes are comparisons between two unlike things using “like” or “as,” offering fresh perspectives and enhancing understanding. Blanco employs similes to deepen characterization and illustrate cultural contrasts.
- The men at Antonio’s Mercado are described as
“ashamed and empty as hollow trees.”
This powerful simile conveys their profound sense of loss and the emotional toll of exile, comparing their inner state to something physically empty and decaying.
- The speaker’s understanding of American culture is shaped by childhood experiences:
“they had yams like the dittos of Pilgrims I colored in class.”
This comparison highlights the speaker’s youthful perspective, where textbook images and real-life experiences begin to merge, signifying the early stages of cultural integration.
- The tension of the Thanksgiving meal is captured with a striking simile:
“the turkey was passed around like a game of Russian Roulette.”
This comparison emphasizes the family’s apprehension and the potential for discomfort or criticism surrounding the unfamiliar American dish.
Symbolism
Symbolism uses objects or concepts to represent something else, often abstract ideas. In “América,” various elements carry symbolic weight, representing the merging of cultures and the complexities of identity.
- Food is perhaps the most prominent symbol.
“pork, fried, broiled, or crispy skin roasted, as well as cauldrons of black beans, fried plantain chips, and yuca con mojito”
These Cuban dishes symbolize the family’s heritage, their connection to their homeland, and their enduring cultural identity. The introduction of turkey and cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving symbolizes their attempt to embrace American traditions. The blending of these foods on one table represents the family’s journey of assimilation and the creation of a unique, hybrid culture.
- Peanut butter, initially a mystery item from the immigration department, symbolizes the foreignness of American culture and the family’s initial bewilderment. Its eventual integration into their lives, even for unconventional uses, signifies their adaptation and resourcefulness.
- The “Brady Bunch” and other American TV families symbolize the idealized, often unattainable, image of American life that the speaker observes and contrasts with his own family’s reality.
Juxtaposition
Juxtaposition is the placement of two contrasting elements side by side to highlight their differences. This device is central to “América,” emphasizing the cultural divide and the process of blending.
- The poem constantly places Cuban traditions against American ones:
“they didn’t have pork on Thanksgiving, they ate turkey with cranberry sauce; they didn’t have yuca, they had yams”
This direct comparison underscores the cultural differences in cuisine and holiday customs.
- The speaker’s bilingualism contrasts with his parents’ English proficiency:
“I spoke English; my parents didn’t.”
This simple statement highlights the generational and linguistic gap within the family, a common experience for immigrant families.
- The family’s vibrant Cuban celebration is juxtaposed with the cold reality of their new home:
“the entire family began to merengue over the linoleum of our apartment, sweating rum and coffee until they remembered that it was 1970 and 46 degrees in América.”
This sudden shift from joyous dancing to the awareness of the cold temperature and the year creates a poignant contrast between their internal warmth of culture and the external realities of their new environment.
Allusion
Allusion is an indirect reference to a person, place, event, or literary work. Blanco uses allusions to American popular culture and historical narratives to highlight the speaker’s immersion in his new country’s identity.
- References to classic American television shows like
“the Brady Bunch,” “Donna Reed or on the Dick Van Dyke Show,” and “Patty Duke’s family”
serve as cultural touchstones, representing the mainstream American ideal that the speaker’s family does not quite fit.
- The speaker’s recitation of American history and patriotic phrases to his family:
“I explained to my abuelita about the Indians and the Mayflower, how Lincoln set the slaves free; I explained to my parents about the purple mountain’s majesty, “one if by land, two if by sea,” the cherry tree, the tea party, the amber waves of grain, the “masses yearning to be free,” liberty and justice for all”
These allusions to foundational American myths and symbols demonstrate the speaker’s absorption of his new country’s narrative and his role in translating it for his family.
América Analysis: Exploring Poetic Devices
Poetic devices are specific techniques used in poetry to create meaning, evoke emotion, and enhance the aesthetic quality of the work. They often focus on the unique qualities of poetic form, sound, and rhythm.
Free Verse
“América” is written in free verse, meaning it does not adhere to a strict rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. This choice allows Blanco to create a natural, conversational tone, mimicking the rhythm of everyday speech and emphasizing the poem’s narrative flow. The absence of rigid structure gives the poem a sense of authenticity and immediacy, making the family’s story feel more personal and relatable.
Stanza
A stanza is a group of lines forming a unit within a poem. “América” is divided into five distinct stanzas, each contributing to the poem’s overall structure and thematic development. The stanzas help organize the narrative, marking transitions between different moments in the family’s journey and allowing for a gradual unfolding of the story.
- Stanza I introduces the initial cultural clash with peanut butter.
- Stanza II establishes the enduring Cuban traditions and the community of exiles.
- Stanza III highlights the speaker’s growing awareness of cultural differences and his family’s distinct identity.
- Stanza IV depicts the speaker’s role as a cultural bridge, educating his family about American customs.
- Stanza V culminates in the blended Thanksgiving celebration, showcasing both the humor and the poignant reality of their assimilation.
Repetition
Repetition involves repeating words, phrases, or lines for emphasis or to create a particular effect. Blanco uses repetition to underscore key themes and cultural elements.
- The repeated mention of
“pork”
throughout Stanza II emphasizes its central role in Cuban culture and its unwavering presence in the family’s life, even on American holidays. This repetition highlights the persistence of their heritage.
- The phrase
“we were still here”
in Stanza III, followed by the fading conversations about returning, subtly repeats the idea of their continued presence in America, reinforcing the theme of gradual acceptance and settlement.
Diction
Diction refers to the poet’s choice of words. Blanco’s diction in “América” is a blend of colloquial English and Spanish terms, reflecting the bilingual and bicultural experience of the family.
- The inclusion of Spanish words like
“Mamá,” “Tía,” “Abuelita,” “yuca con mojito,” “guayaberas,” “merengue,” and “esa mierda roja”
lends authenticity to the narrative and immerses the reader in the family’s Cuban heritage. It also highlights the linguistic landscape of their lives.
- The contrast between these Spanish terms and the English descriptions of American life emphasizes the linguistic duality that the speaker navigates.
Tone
The tone of “América” is largely nostalgic, observational, and gently humorous, yet it also carries an underlying current of poignancy and cultural tension. The speaker recounts childhood memories with a sense of warmth and affection, even when describing moments of cultural misunderstanding.
- The humorous tone is evident in Tía Miriam’s inventive uses for peanut butter or Tío Berto’s blunt complaint:
“DRY,” Tío Berto complained, and proceeded to drown the lean slices with pork fat drippings and cranberry jelly, “esa mierda roja,” he called it.
This lightheartedness makes the family’s struggles relatable and endearing.
- However, there is also a poignant tone, particularly when describing the men at the market
“clinging to one another’s lies of lost wealth, ashamed and empty as hollow trees.”
This reveals the deeper sadness and loss experienced by the older generation. The poem balances these tones, creating a rich and complex emotional landscape.
Assonance
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within a line or in close proximity. This device creates a musical quality and can emphasize certain words or ideas.
- The repetition of the short ‘i’ sound in
“fried, broiled, or crispy skin roasted”
creates a rhythmic flow that emphasizes the variety and richness of the Cuban pork dishes, engaging the reader’s auditory and culinary senses.
- Another example can be found in
“clinging to one another’s lies of lost wealth”
where the repeated long ‘i’ sound draws attention to the lingering sorrow and deception among the older generation.
Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in close proximity. This technique contributes to the poem’s rhythm and draws attention to specific phrases.
- The repetition of the ‘b’ sound in
“I uttered a bilingual blessing”
highlights the speaker’s role as a bridge between two cultures, emphasizing the significance of his dual identity.
- The ‘h’ and ‘y’ sounds in
“they didn’t have yuca, they had yams”
create a subtle rhythm that underscores the contrast in food traditions.
Consonance
Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds within words, not just at the beginning. This creates a subtle yet effective musicality and can reinforce the poem’s themes.
- The repetition of ‘l’ and ‘t’ sounds in
“liberty and justice for all, until”
connects these powerful American ideals, creating a sense of unity in the phrase.
- Similarly, the ‘t’ and ‘r’ sounds in
“the cherry tree, the tea party”
link these historical allusions, making them flow together as part of the American narrative the speaker is learning.
Enjambment
Enjambment occurs when a thought or phrase continues from one line to the next without punctuation. This technique creates a sense of fluidity and mimics the natural rhythm of speech, drawing the reader into the narrative.
- Consider these lines:
“Mamá set a frozen pumpkin pie in the oven
and prepared candied yams following instructions
I translated from the marshmallow bag.”The enjambment here allows the action to flow seamlessly, mirroring the continuous effort and adaptation involved in preparing the American dishes. It also emphasizes the speaker’s crucial role in translating instructions for his mother.
Richard Blanco’s “América” is a masterful exploration of identity, culture, and belonging. Through its rich tapestry of literary and poetic devices, the poem invites readers to experience the complexities and joys of cultural assimilation. It reminds us that America is not a single, monolithic entity, but a vibrant mosaic continually shaped by the diverse stories and traditions of its people. By understanding the nuances of Blanco’s craft, we gain a deeper appreciation for the poem’s enduring message of unity in diversity.