Poem of the Week: 9.15.22

"Cecilia Vicuña Ramírez Lagarrigue etc."

Cecilia Vicuña Ramírez Lagarrigue etc.

by Cecilia Vicuña

translated from the Spanish by Rosa Alcalá

Cecilia from the Latin
“she who cannot see”
Vicuña from the Euskara
“lowland”
Lagarrigue from garrigue
“vegetal formation”
from the French Basque
and Ramírez
ancient patronym
son of Ramiro
Mixture of kings and idiots
nobility and commoner
shit and mud.

June 1971


---Original en español:

Cecilia del latín
“la que no ve”
Vicuña del euskara
“tierra baja”
Lagarrigue de la garriga
“formación vegetal”
del vasco francés
y Ramírez
patronímico de antiguo
hijo de Ramiro
Mezcla de reyes con idiotas
hidalguía y vulgo
mierda y barro.

junio 1971

Source: Rosa Alcalá, "Four Poems By Cecilia Vicuña Translated From The Spanish." Asterix Journal (August 8, 2017). Read on the original source.

This is the second edition of the Poem of the Week! Thank you so much for subscribing—we’re besties now.

Today happens to be the first day of national Hispanic Heritage Month, recognizing the day of independence for several Latin American countries and general Latinx pride. While I’m all for remembering the shedding of colonial skin, skin regrows, and we are left with what surrounds us, as ugly and beautiful as it is. So, I love this poem, “Cecilia Vicuña Ramírez Lagarrigue etc.,” because it reveals the mess of mixed identities. I know firsthand how long names inherent in many modern Latinx identities can make you feel like an “other” unidentifiable to a “normal” (White) name. As a mixed Latino-American, I am both, each one, and my own thing all at once. I feel like this poem embodies this sense of self; “shit and mud” are more human than profane.

Both the author of the poem (Vicuña) and its translator (Alcalá) are two of my favorite poets. Check out their work if you are looking for a book of poetry to read.

Until next week. Ricky