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.
Summary of América
- Popularity of “América”: Written by Richard Blanco, a celebrated American poet, “América” is a narrative poem resonating with themes of childhood and cultural assimilation. The poem beautifully reflects the speaker’s childhood memories and the blending of traditions within a family navigating a new country. Its enduring appeal lies in its exploration of cultural differences and the potential for harmonious integration.
- “América” As a Representative of Various Cultures: This poem portrays the experience of a Cuban child growing up immersed in American culture. The opening stanzas depict the resourceful use of peanut butter, initially a foreign item, and the speaker’s observation of his family’s adaptation to American life. Food traditions are central, with pork and black beans representing Cuban heritage alongside the adoption of turkey on Thanksgiving. The poem illustrates the contrast between the family’s initial longing for their homeland and their eventual acceptance of their new surroundings, symbolized by the fading conversations about returning. Through vivid imagery and poignant details, the poem celebrates the merging of cultures and the creation of a unique American identity.
- Major Themes in “América”: Cultural difference, memory, and joyful celebration are the core themes of this poem. “América” powerfully demonstrates how people from diverse backgrounds coexist in the United States. Despite differing cultural norms, habits, and culinary preferences, families find ways to come together and celebrate life. The poem is a nostalgic reflection of the speaker’s childhood, capturing his observations of the American landscape and its inhabitants. The initial desire to return to their native land gradually diminishes as the family becomes more rooted in their new home. This exploration of identity and adaptation makes the poem universally relatable, capturing the challenges and rewards of immigration and cultural exchange.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “América”
Literary devices are tools writers use to convey ideas, emotions, and create impactful meaning in their work. These techniques enhance the text, making it more engaging and revealing deeper layers of interpretation. Richard Blanco expertly employs a variety of literary devices in “América” to enrich the poem’s narrative and thematic resonance.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within a line. For example, the repetition of the short ‘i’ sound in “fried, broiled, or crispy skin roasted” creates a musical quality and emphasizes the sensory experience of the food.
- Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in close proximity. Examples include the repetition of the ‘b’ sound in “I uttered a bilingual blessing” and the ‘h’ and ‘y’ sounds in “they didn’t have yuca, they had yams.” These instances contribute to the poem’s rhythm and draw attention to specific phrases.
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds within words. For instance, the repetition of ‘l’ and ‘t’ in “liberty and justice for all, until” and ‘t’ and ‘r’ in “the cherry tree, the tea party” create a subtle yet effective musicality and reinforce the poem’s themes.
- Enjambment: Enjambment occurs when a thought or phrase continues from one line to the next without punctuation. For example:
“Mamá set a frozen pumpkin pie in the oven
and prepared candied yams following instructions
I translated from the marshmallow bag.”This technique creates a sense of fluidity and mimics the natural rhythm of speech, drawing the reader into the narrative.
- Imagery: Blanco masterfully uses imagery to engage the reader’s senses. For example, “like the dittos of Pilgrims I colored in class,” “Tío Berto was the last to leave,” and “Everyone sat in green velvet chairs” create vivid mental pictures and evoke a strong sense of atmosphere.
- Simile: Similes use “like” or “as” to compare two unlike things, offering a fresh perspective and enhancing understanding. Examples include “ashamed and empty as hollow trees” and “like the dittos of Pilgrims I colored in class.”
- Symbolism: Symbolism uses objects or concepts to represent something else. In “América,” pork symbolizes Cuban culture blending with the American Thanksgiving feast, representing the merging of traditions and the creation of a new cultural identity.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “América”
Poetic devices are techniques specifically used in poetry to create meaning, evoke emotion, and enhance the aesthetic quality of the work. They differ from general literary devices in their focus on the unique qualities of poetic form.
- Free Verse: “América” is written in free verse, meaning it does not adhere to a strict rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. This allows Blanco to create a natural, conversational tone and emphasize the poem’s narrative flow.
- Stanza: A stanza is a group of lines forming a unit within a poem. “América” is divided into five stanzas, each contributing to the poem’s overall structure and thematic development. The stanzas help organize the narrative and reinforce transitions between scenes.
Quotes to be Used
“Topping for guava shells in syrup, butter substitute for Cuban toast, hair conditioner and relaxer,” “pork, fried, broiled, or crispy skin roasted, as well as cauldrons of black beans, fried plantain chips, and yuca con mojito.”