taj
New Member
Posts: 14 
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Post by taj on Sept 12, 2017 15:44:35 GMT -6
"A Chicano Poem" by Lorna Dee Cervantes, The author creates more of a victory cry than a discussion of the plight of Chicanos in America. Cervantes clarifies this distinction through her constant use of the word "tried" to describe what American's have done. This use of the language "tried" implies that they attempted to oppress the Chicanos, but ultimately failed in their goals either physically or mentally. Cervantes states that "they tried to take Away our Spirit in the rock...", which implies that "their" intent was negative, however there was another result that in the end was positive. Later in the poem however, Cervantes' use of the verb "razed" implies that Americans were successful in some of their aggressive of alien cultures. However, even the actions that Cervantes admits to have happened are facts that are indisputable. I take these lines to not be an admittance of the Chicano people as much as an acknowledgement of what has already occurred and how Chicanos still endured and maintained their culture even in unlikely circumstances. Cervantes mentions later that America has "fed us in a steady diet of disease and famine". This sentence is placing blame on oppressive American society rather than Chicano strength. This is almost a rebellious statement in that Cervantes is listing out the issues America has caused. It is important to point out that this style of listing out complaints is similar to the complaints against the king in The Declaration of Independence. At the end of the poem, Cervantes rephrases the famous first words of the Declaration of Independence. Instead of the usual "all men are created equal", Cervantes substitutes it for "We were here./I declare us here today....". I take this allusion to the Declaration to be a sort of final boast of Chicano pride. In the same way that Americans claimed themselves as a separate presence from Great Britain, Cervantes is making Chicanos known as a separate people and culture. Rather than a separation from the American people, I believe Cervantes wishes to declare that the Chicano people will still remain in touch with their traditions and culture, without conforming to American standards of culture.
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Post by Keviana S on Sept 13, 2017 10:28:59 GMT -6
I agree as Taj states that the Chicano people with still carry on with there cultural aspects and traditions. In "A Chicano Poem", it states what they tried to do but still failed. It reminds me of how Great Britain wanted control over America, but the Declaration of Independence helped us break all ties with them.This story relates, because even though the Americans were trying to take away the rights of the Chicano people they never dropped their guard or gave up. The Chicano's wanted to make amends with Americans but they denied it. As reading this poem I thought that maybe they were trying to make the Americans realize what they did wrong so they can feel guilty. It seems as if they are addressing the letter to someone to declare their freedom. I also believe that Lorna Dee Cervante's is trying to evoke and explore the cultural differences and also the divides of gender throughout her writing. The Chicano term means people of mexican descent who were born in the United States. Therefore, I think that they were treated unfairly, because they weren't american descents.
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Post by akmaples on Sept 14, 2017 16:02:51 GMT -6
In Lorna Dee Cervantes’ poem, “A Chicano Poem, she is speaking for chicanos. Chicanos are U.S. citizens or inhabitants of Mexican descent. In the first line she says “they”, as in the Americans or anyone that isn’t Chicano or even people that don’t want chicanos to be equal (most white people in America.) The “they” she refers to is trying to “take”, which is the act of stealing, the Chicano’s words, or they’re freedom. In line 3, she references shawls and laws, a shawl is a covering for something. The shawls and laws are supposed to hide Chicanos as if they are not present of relevant in the political agenda. In lines 7-9, the presentation of America attempting to steal their ancestral identities, is present, when it states, “They tried to steal our languages, our grandmothers’ pacts, our magna cartas for their own serfs.” In line 10, The poem states, “They razed the land and raised a Constitution, declared other 3/5th a human being, snapped shackles, cut off a foot, raped our grandmothers into near mute oblivion” This a symbolization of the whites taking over America, and what it used to be before colonization, as well as America being built her along with its racial views built off the constitution not being followed by early Americans. All of this was happening under the noses of everyone but people that weren’t white could do nothing to stop it.
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Post by nikymbaw on Sept 14, 2017 16:04:00 GMT -6
I agree with Keviana that the poem itself sounds if they are addressing a letter to declare their freedom. Much of the diction throughout the paper makes it sound like a declaration of independence, they claim that Americans had “...tried to take our words// Steal away our hearts under// Their imaginary shawls, their laws…” This is remarking on how the Chicano people, as well as other smaller minorities of America, are being forced to conform to American values. The repetition of the phrase “They tried..” makes it seem like the attempt to conform the Chicanos failed, and they are refusing to give up their traditions. The poem in itself is a victory cry, a rally for the Chicano as a people, sure they have faced multiple trails and problems where Americans attempted to “..steal// Our Languages, our grandmothers’ pacts// Our magma cartas for their own serfs//” they continue to stay strong through it all. The use of American imagery such as the mention of the Consitution and the Three-Fifths Compromise, takes America’s shoddy and twisted history and push it out into the open. As many know, “History is written by the victors” and this poem brings all of America errors into the light, and declare a new place for the Chicano as human beings, not as another “typical” American citizen.
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Post by andrea on Sept 14, 2017 16:22:09 GMT -6
In "A Chicano Poem" by Lorna Dee Cervantes I believe that she is talking about being a victor rather than being a victim. This is mainly because throughout the poem she talks about all the struggles the Chinanos, I'm assuming, or possibly just Hispanics in general experienced, all while using the past tense. For instance, she repeats the phrase "They tried to.." throughout the poem. This phrase implies that even though "They" constantly tried to bring them down, they would always fail. For example, one sentence states, "They tried to silence a nation." The nation mentioned is that of the Chicanos, however weren't able to be silenced since the author, and many like her, are able to publish their writing as well as do other things that gives their "nation" a voice. Another sentence states, "They tried to feed us a diet of famine and disease." This sentence implies that thought "they" brought sickness and other hardships to their "nation", whether intentionally or unintentionally, they were able to survive and come out stronger, in a sense. Overall, I think there's very little evidence in this poem that makes it seem as if the author feels as if she's more of a victim than a victor. The entire poem is based around the author and other Chicanos overcoming everything despite all of the obstacles purposely put in their way.
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Post by jordan on Sept 15, 2017 15:07:34 GMT -6
I also agree with everyone that Cervantes is talking about being more of a victor than a victim. She repeats "They tried" through out the poem to show the struggles they faced from Americans and how they overcame them. She throws a lot of mud at America and makes America the "bad guy" in the poem by adding allusions to other people America has mistreated like "others 3/5ths a human being". By the end o the poem, she is claiming that Chinacos are here to stay.
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Post by kristin18 on Sept 17, 2017 14:17:11 GMT -6
In Lorna Dee's piece called " A Chicano Poem", she portrays herself as an advocate for the Chicanos. Through her poem she builds up the suspense and makes it more of a speech to speak up for not only her generation but her ancestors. It is known that she is taking on the victor voice instead of the victim voice. I agree with everyone who brought the verbiage of "They tried" to display her upcoming end result of being heard as a Chicano and no one could stop her background. This is a very proud moment for her and it was unsuccessful to keep her culture from being who they are.
I think the bigger message here is to stand up and advocate for yourself and others. No matter what the situation is at hand.
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mari
New Member
Posts: 13 
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Post by mari on Sept 17, 2017 21:55:17 GMT -6
I agree with everyone else, in Cervantes “A Chicano Poem” I couldn't help but to connect the Spanish and their issues of america, to the native Americans struggles as well. she made sure to make america seem as harsh as possible, stating that america "branded america" into their own flesh. In other words, taking complete ownership in all of them. and what makes the Spanish that are still in Chicago so powerful, is the fact that they're still there in Chicago. I felt more that her point was to show her people how strong they were from facing all of their hardships, but standing today.
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