I am Joaquin

I Am Joaquin was written in 1967 by poet and boxer Rodolfo Corky Gonzales. Reading and digesting this eight page, footnote heavy poem definitely seems daunting. Not only is it lengthy, but it also is chock full of overwhelming historical references.
After reading only one page, it is obvious that the speaker is writing from the perspective of a repressed culture. Defining which that culture is however, proves not as simple.
Throughout the poem the speaker refers to himself as Mexican, but also a toiling Indian, a Spanish despot, A Mayan prince or Aztec among numerous others. After reading the poem through several times and doing research, I came to the conclusion that the discussed culture that seems so diverse is Gonzales' version of Chicano. The Chicano have ties in many different facets of history, and the speaker addresses this through the poem that could be described as a poetic history paper.
The main focus of the poem is the speaker walking through the turmoil and successes of each culture that helped form his own. The Indian in him fought for his land and freedom, the Mexican fights a revolution, and so on.
Because the speaker has a role in so many cultures, throughout the poem, there are many contradictions; he tells how he and the Chicano culture are weak but strong, abused and abusive, killed and killing.
I thought a particularly interesting stanza was on the first page when he writes,
"I am the sword and flame of Cortes the despot And I am the eagle and serpent of the Aztec civilization."
In history, Cortes is the Spaniard notorious for the ravaging of the Aztec civilization. In the poem however, the speaker is both the death of the Aztecs and their symbol of hope and pride. I think this shows how complex the Chicano culture is, and how many levels there are to it.
I also liked the final stanza on the first page: the speaker says he "toiled," and "gave his Indian sweat and blood," yet is "both tyrant and slave." I thought this was a great point in saying that although he is a slave of the Spanish master, the ground he works on is his heritage and responsibility. As a slave toiling in the dirt, he is almost given free reign over the lands. He is a tyrant over the ground but still a slave to the master.
Near the end of the poem, the speaker writes of all he has endured. The "rugged mountains," "slavery of the fields," "barrios of the city," "suburbs of bigotry," "mines of social snobbery," "Prison of dejection," "muck of exploitation" and the "heat of racial hatred." All of these examples show a vital point in each facet of his Chicano culture, and how other histories affect his. Indian slavery, abuse of minorities, and the hubris of success. These oppression can also be seen as metaphors. The "mines of social snobbery" could be interpreted as literal mines that he slaved in, or as a metaphor for the dark, exhausting social snobbery of the time.
There is so much more than just words and history in this poem, and I wish I could say I was experienced enough to pick it all up. The style of poetry used here is not something I usually think about when I hear the word "poetry," but it is beautiful in its own right.
Something I would ask about this poem is "why?" Why did the author write this poem, and why did he write it this way? What was he trying to accomplish? Was he trying to promote awareness? Ignite hope? Or just express his heritage?
The unique wordage used makes it a memorable piece of literature, and by the end of this class, I hope to have the knowledge and skills to be able to dissect it better. Perhaps I'll read it again at the end of the quarter.