Versos Sencillos By Jose Marti: Poem Analysis

José Martí was a brilliant 19th century writer, poet, political and revolutionary leader, and Cuban intellectual; however, above all else, José Martí was a proud Cuban citizen. Though born to two Spanish parents, Martí never waivered in his identity as a son of Cuba, and he would spend—and eventually give—his life fighting for the cause of Cuban independence. Martí loved his native country, and desired freedom and pride for all Cubans. Never was this more apparent, than in his poem, “Versos Sencillos” (Excerpts from Simple Verses). The resistance from oppression infused with Cuban patriotism prevalent in this piece, is central to Marti’s message and to the Cuban Revolution as a whole.
Main Themes In the poem, “Versos Sencillos”, Martí professes his love of Cuba’s character and natural splendor, while also aligning himself with the poor and stating that he would never kowtow to any oppressive governments. In the third stanza he writes, “All is beautiful and loyal/All is musical and right/And all, like the diamond, /Is charcoal before being light.” It is through these lines that Martí shows his appreciation for Cuba’s beauty, while acknowledging its struggle and hinting at a hopeful future. It is later in the poem, in the last stanza, where Martí uses his typical blend of defiance, empathy for the oppressed, and

Many Latin American countries struggled to gain independence and resist European culture to form their own. Some academics, specifically the Uruguayan Jose Enrique Rodo, argued that only Northern European culture should be rejected and that their Latin culture was superior; while this differs from Martí’s view of building a strong national pride that embraces multiple races and cultures, it does align with the poem in that it emphasizes a pride in a culture that is different than the “master.”