THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA: A BIOGRAPHY OF JUAN FRANCISCO MANZANO by Margarita Engle



Author Margarita Engle



Engle, Margarita. 2006. THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA: A BIOGRAPHY OF JUAN FRANCISCO MANZANO. Ill. by Sean Qualls. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 0805077065

Review

O

n my knees                                          Born into Cuban slavery in the 1800s,

in the mud                                 Juan Francisco Manzano contends with the

I pray                                        “strange” life of his by writing and reading

            Lord I trust                                poetry.  Manzano’s first slave owner grants

  this strange life                           him his freedom upon her death but it does

  of mine                                     not hold up.  His next slave owner has him

  to the unknown                         brutally beaten and tortured to near death.

                                                  His mother, who is comforted by his poetic

  I put on a hat                             words, eventually buys his freedom but her

  mount the horse                        money is taken and his freedom is not given.

  ride away                                  During Manzano’s difficult enslavement, his

Excerpt, page 170.               poetry includes feelings of sadness, despera-

  tion, but also hope, anticipation, and waiting. 

Manzano finally escapes on horseback, and

according to Engle’s historical background at the end of the story, he married and lived in Havana for many years.  Incorporating a slanted side of the story, Engle includes poetry from the perspective of others such as the slave owners and overseer.  Engle uses simile and metaphor to give the character life and feeling.  She compares Manzano’s mind to a brush made of feathers.  And she personifies his words saying they are “fragrant” as “succulent geranium leaves.”  The main impact of this story is emotional and is geared more towards young adult readers.  Poems incorporating sense imagery leave lasting impact on the reader.  Beginning on page 107, Engle uses words to illustrate the torment Manzano endures.  All alone / no one but the cadavers for company / dead bodies everywhere / cold and naked / can they see that I am still alive just barely?  The reader can envision the room full of bodies, feel the cold air on naked skin, hear the empty silence, and feel the pain of something terrible.  While this story is not one that typical youth will relate to, there is an interest in the difficulty and the fact that Manzano was a real person. 

Poetry in Action:

Introducing the Poem:  Ask students to remember a time when they have wanted to be somewhere else to avoid something painful.  For young adults, have them remember big disappointments in life such as parent divorce, important deaths, or being picked on at school.  When they have their moment, ask students to think about where they would rather be and discuss as a class.  Maybe it’s on the beach or in a comfy chair by the fire.

Follow up Activity:  After reading the poem, and showing them the front cover, have students brainstorm possibilities of why this guy would want to be in Havana.  Use this activity to lead into either reading the rest of the book or introducing Manzano and doing other activities related to him or other slaves.  You can also pair with other slavery poems… http://www.brycchancarey.com/slavery/poetry.htm

Excerpt, page 160

I feel like a homing pigeon

Longing for my dovecoat

Havana is in my heart

city of poets

city of freedom

streets of words

alleys of wonder

busy marketplace

of ideas

written and spoken

shared and daydreamed

embraced or rejected

replaced or loaded

onto the wings

carried home