Jose Marti: Major Poems

by José Martí

English, Spanish (translation)

Genres: Poetry

174 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 1982

About the author

Born José Julián Martí y Pérez, he was a Cuban nationalist leader and an important figure in Latin American literature. During his short life he was a poet, an essayist, a journalist, a revolutionary philosopher, a professor, and a political theorist. Through his writings and political activity, he became a symbol for Cuba's bid for independence against Spain in the 19th century, and is referred to as El Apóstol; "Apostle of Cuban Independence". He also fought against the threat of United States expansionism into Cuba.

Reviews

[Eu]

My life teacher.
"Cultivo una rosa blanca
en junio como enero
para el amigo sincero
que me da su mano franca.
Y para el cruel que me arranca
el corazón con que vivo,
cardo ni ortiga cultivo;
cultivo la rosa blanca"

[analú]

Grande, grande Martí. Los autores y los poetas viven en las personas que los leen, por eso, mientras te lean, nunca perecerás.

[Eric]

Beautiful, beautiful pre-20th century Cuban poetry that touched on love, persecution, and the need to be free from oppression. I imagine that Che and Fidel must have read Marti extensively before, during, and after overthrowing Batista. This is one of those cases where you can tell that Marti knew he was going to die a martyr - and he did. Sad, but inspiring.

[Nara Cervantes]

Great book to learn about his Cuban culture and the writer himself

[Kay]

wonderful love it

[Willy Akhdes]

If You've Seen A Mount Of Sea Foam (Verse V)
If you've seen a mount of sea foam,
It is my verse you have seen:
My verse a mountain has been
And a feathered fan become.

My verse is like a dagger
At whose hilt a flower grows:
My verse is a fount which flows
With a sparkling coral water.

My verse is a gentle green
And also a flaming red:
My verse is a deer wounded
Seeking forest cover unseen.

My verse is brief and sincere,
And to the brave will appeal:
With all the strength of the steel
With which the sword will appear.



SI VES UN MONTE DE ESPUMAS (Verso V)

Si ves un monte de espumas,
Es mi verso lo que ves,
Mi verso es un monte, y es
Un abanico de plumas.

Mi verso es como un puñal
Que por el puño echa flor:
Mi verso es un surtidor
Que da un agua de coral.

Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmín encendido:
Mi verso es un ciervo herido
Que busca en el monte amparo.

Mi verso al valiente agrada:
Mi verso, breve y sincero,
Es del vigor del acero
Conque se funde la espada.