Julia de Burgos -Río Grande de Loíza

 As I said in my previous post, today I am going to be reading the famous poem "Río Grande de Loíza" in both Spanish and English and discuss the poems meaning and literal details. There is not a clear direct title for this, but it is similar to the The Great River of Loíza. For some context, Loíza is a small town in Puerto Rico known for its rich African culture. In the 1500's Western Africans were brought over to this town and today it is known for the great culture, entertainment, and rich history of reflecting West Africa. This poem is an ode that uses the soul and in depth imagery of a beautiful river to spread awareness for the beauty and liveliness of Puerto Rico. Her use of the word soul brings forth this sense of longing and lack of meaning. She dives into every detail of that river, thus it is clear she is search for true meaning. There is also a sense of nostalgia and memories she brings to the piece, where the river becomes a symbol for her resilience and deep reflection. "Llegó la adolescencia. Me sorprendió la vida prendida en lo más ancho de tu viajar eterno; y fui tuya mil veces, y en un bello romance." She references adolescence and the eternities of life itself, yet all meaning in her life is born by this river that means so much to her. As this river is a symbol for her personal life and childhood, it also matches to something even greater: the violence and pain of African slaves and Indigenous tribes that has occurred along this very river.