Previously in the United States, racism and segregation have been a terrible issue. A writer Martín Espada expresses the exclusion and frustration that comes from the same racism today through poetry. His three poems, “Revolutionary Spanish Lesson”, “The New Bathroom Policy at English High School,” and “Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California, May 3, 1877,” all describe the misused power given to groups of people when it comes to differences in race.
Espada’s poem, “The New Bathroom Policy at English High School,” tells a story where people are unjustly treated because of their race by the person holding power. “The boys chatter spanish/ while the principal/ listens from his stall/ the only word he recognizes/ is his own name/ and this constipates him.” This quote shows the principal unnecessarily fearing the unknown. Because he cannot understand exactly what the boys are saying about him in spanish, he assumes the worst. “He decides/ to ban spanish/ from the bathrooms.” The principal uses his power to limit others and to help himself. He selfishly forces children to abandon their native language in order to eavesdrop successfully. The poem makes the reader feel disappointed by seeing this grown man feel self conscious of his own students. The poem makes the reader question why selfish people (like the principal in the poem) have so much power, and why they can get away with taking power away from others who deserve it (like the spanish speaking boys).
Martín Espada’s poem, “Revolutionary Spanish Lesson,” describes the annoyance that follows a mispronounced name and overlooked culture. “Whenever my name/ is mispronounced/ I want to.../ hijack a busload of Republican tourists/ and force them to chant/ anti- American slogans.” The power holding people in this scenario is society itself. One’s name is their identity and ultimately who they are. When another person ‘butchers’ their name it shows the lack of attention to a culture, and it’s frustrating to lose a piece of who they are. “Wait/ for a bilingual SWAT team/ begging me/ to be reasonable.” Espada adds irony to his poem, because he writes about how forcing Americans to go against their own country seems like the worst possible thing, but many other races in America are forced to do the same. He makes the reader think about how in this case many Americans have little respect for other races and culture, and seem to change people’s names. Espada’s poem is simple but causes awareness when it comes to society having an open mind to other races, and treating everyone like their own.
“Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California, May 3, 1877,” tells the story of two Mexicans lynched because townspeople thought they were guilty. “Forty gringo vigilantes/ cheered the rope/ that snapped two mexicanos.” The two Mexicans were not treated like people in the eyes of the townspeople because of their race. The power was distributed unfairly to racist townspeople and instead of a trail, they were instantly killed. “A high collared boy smirking, some peering/ from the shade of bowler hats, but all/ crowding into the photograph.” The moment where two men were murdered was photographed with proud smiling faces. The poem by Espada puts power holding into perspective, and makes readers wonder if the people who have it should have it. And if those who have power, will do the right thing. Two Mexican men were killed not because of the law, but because of racism and biased townspeople who held their fate.
All the people described in Martín Espadas poems suffered from unfair treatment due to their race. They were given extra problems, because those with power created more obstacles. The groups with the power, whether it was society, a principal, or a town, all abused it and supported racism with their actions. Espada’s short stories in his poems open eyes to the issue of racism and wrongly given power, and hopefully will spark an awareness to end those issues.
No comments:
Post a Comment