Naturally, the poem describes the story of the lady who, although having experienced a domestic or some other violence, managed to safeguard her personal well-being and dignity and still is in love with the man who abandoned her. The wording of the poem is formulated the way that gives the target audience substantial liberty to speculate over the message of the author. The poem is descriptive in its nature, and the main message, which is delivered to the ultimate reader, is the discrimination of the ladies in the men’s world and the way this unshared love has been tackled by the woman with the sense of dignity and self-respect. The author depicts the sufferings and the happiness of the abandoned lady in detail stressing the independence she achieved and calling all women around the world to follow her brilliant example, and fall in love again. She unabashedly brags about the fact that since she has obtained her independence and sense of personal dignity, but she still loves the man who abandoned her and who is likely to abuse her. Apparently, the main theme that is being delivered by the author to the target audience is the intense desire to demonstrate the hope, the sense of self-respect and personal felicity can originate from the humiliation, fear and torture – all the challenges which have been experienced by the main character of the poem. Considering the fact that the poem is written from the 1st person, it can be soundly assumed that the poem is autobiographic in its nature.
Overall, it can be assumed that the main theme of the poem is the accentuation of the fact that although the lady has been completely abandoned by the loved one, she still loves him when she hears his trembling voice on her phone.
1. The Elaboration of the Theme
Naturally, the poem is based on the personal experience of literally one of the most talented and gifted author of the entire literature America. Namely the phrase “for me to forgive you” does not indicate necessarily that the author tells about herself although the poem is indeed autobiographical in its nature. This phrase can be attributed to any woman who reads this poem and having read it, the lady should undoubtedly ponder over the fact that she is indeed “like branch of jacaranda” irrespective of the fact that her former beloved one has abandoned her. Besides, the author speculates that the men irrespective of all their efforts and painstaking endeavors did not succeed in destroying her personal environment. The author writes, “you spirit a tiger from its cell” and this phrase is aimed to ensure that the person who is suffering, the abandoned lady; once she listens to the voice of her former lover (Gonzales), can lose her temper and can easily become an uncontrolled person.
Another theme of this wonderful poem is the inspiration and urge for action of all ladies who have been dropped by their husbands, fiancés and boyfriends. In “You called me Corazon” the author narrated the story and regrets that the past has passed and that nothing can be done to revert it. However, it must be additionally accentuated that the poem is not feministic at all – it merely outlines and highlights the rights and privileges of the ladies, which have been wrongfully taken by the men and by others, who do not recognize and who encroach upon the rights of women.
“You voice small” and “like branch of jacaranda” – these phrases elevate the beautifulness and the pulchritude of the beloved one. The beautifulness is not in any case judged by the physical appearance of the ladies – the very opposite opinion is expressed. The real beauty lies in the inner mystery of one who has been loved, and only those men, who have contacted with the hearts, not with the bodies of the women, deserve their love, care and affection. However, this poem connotes that the man who is truly loved by the woman can commit almost any villainy.
2. The Historical Background of the Poem
One of the most outstanding United States author Sandra Cisneros was born in Mexico City December 20, 1954 in Mexico City, Mexico. The biography of this author is truly unique and following the well-established literature tradition, her writing style and manner, as well as the majority of the topics covered in her poems, her personal living experience is the basis for the majority of her literature works (Gonzales).
First and foremost, her entourage included six brothers, apart from herself and her parents. The role of the man in the family was paramount, as far as the importance of the men is concerned. This fact has considerably affected her writing legacy and her manner of writing. Although her nature resembles and spotlights the independence and the self-control of the ladies, the men are always more important. The author possesses a substantial scientific background. Having graduated as a bachelor from the Loyola University Chicago, she obtained her Master’s of Arts Diploma at the Iowa University. Therefore, sometimes the lexical background of her poems can be found a bit difficult for understanding of the general public (Mirriam-Goldberg).
Another fact is worth being accentuated is her decision not to marry. She never married, but this factor does not impede her to fall in love. This love urged her to write beautiful poems and describe her feelings. Somehow it happens to be, that the outlined feelings completely resembled the feelings which are inherent to the feelings of many ladies worldwide.
Therefore, it is evident that this poem is almost totally based on the personal experience of the author. Having experienced brutal, atrocious and uncontrolled love, she managed not only to safeguard her personal, humane characteristics, but also she resurrected like a phoenix from the ashes (Warrick). Furthermore, after the violence took place, she became even more beautiful internally, more talented and more responsive to her nearest and dearest. Besides, she accentuates that she did not make specific endeavors in reaching this state of beauty, perfection and liveliness and vivacity.
3. The Physical Structure of the Poem and Literature Techniques of the Poem
The structure of the poem is not considerably complicated. The stanzas are not repetitive in their essence. The author employs various literature techniques to accomplish her goals. In particular, the number of metaphors and epithets is significant in this literature masterpiece. To illustrate, even the title, “You called me Corazon”, is metaphorical in its nature. Metaphorical in this case is the word “corazon”, which in this very case connotes the word outstanding and distinguishable. This literature technique helps to accentuate and highlight the importance of the permutations which took place with the author, when she experienced abuse, violence and other mistreatment. The main feature of the lexical resource of the poem is the bilingual character of the poem. Spanish word “corazon” is definitely more tender, affectionate and lovely than its English synonym “heart”. Naturally, this technique additionally accentuates the importance of the author’s message to the target audience, highlighting that, in fact, love is beautiful. When a person constantly and routinely restates that love is beautiful, not only she, but the entire target audience is likely to believe that it is beautiful, even when it has gone.
The physical structure of the poem is open. To be more exact, the rhythm of the poem is hardly detectable by the target audience. In fact, if the rhythm is completely removed from the poem, naturally the beauty and the informativity of the poem will remain at the same level. The literature significance will not be lost. Literature scholars assume that a need to use an open form is dictated by the message of the poem. The target reader must not focus his or her attention on the lexical enrichment and rhythm, but on the message which is delivered. Sandra Cisneros does seem to have succeeded in the accomplishment of this uneasy task.
4. Personal Evaluation of the Poem
As far as my personal opinion is concerned, I am firmly convinced that this poem is not merely a poem. It is, indeed, an anthem of all American and international ladies, who assert that they are independent, proud and successful, but when they hear a voice of the one, whom they formerly loved, everything is lost automatically.
Some critics consider that the character of the poem is considerably feministic, and having read the poem, the ladies are likely to comprehend the essence of it the wrong way. It can be easily construed as a watchword for social changes. Cisneros personally has never been a feminist and this approach is wrongful in its germ, although she has never been in the matrimonial relations. The very opposite trend is, however, more than tangible for the target readers of the poem – the author appeals not to fight for the rights of the ladies, but merely remain the ladies and irrespective of all the hardships and the challenges of the modern life remain them and become beautiful (Gonzales). Nothing, neither violence, nor abuses nor the social composition of the society can impede the development and flourishing of the lady who is in love. As according to the theme of the poem, if the lady is in love, she is in love forever.
The Poem
That was enough
for me to forgive you.
To spirit a tiger
from its cell.
Called me corazón
in that instant before
I let go the phone
back to its cradle.
You voice small.
Heat of your eyes,
how I would’ve placed
my mouth on each.
Said corazón
and the word blazed
like a branch of jacaranda.