The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano

Engle, Margarita. The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 2006. ISBN: 978-0-8050-7706-3. 

SUMMARY

Margarita Engle uses verse in her book The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano to tell the biography of the famous Cuban poet  who was born into slavery during Cuba's colonial period under Spain's rule.  As he suffers the relentless and inhumane punishments inflicted upon him by his cruel and demented mistress, La Marquesa de Prado Ameno, he clings to his faith and his belief that basic good does exist in the world. Inspired by the words of poets, writings of authors, and his mother's faith, Juan's determination to learn despite his hardships lead him to become one of Cuban's famous poets and an inspiration for all to retain hope in a world infiltrated with despair.

ANALYSIS

Margarita Engle's exquisite poetry in her biography The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano captivates her audience as she reveals the horrors endured and hopes retained by a young slave in colonial Cuba. The verse novel begins by revealing Juan, a young child, as the pampered slave protégé of his mistress, Doña Beatriz.  Juan's incredible gift to easily learn and recite songs and poems pleases her and her guests, which leads him to have a life separate from the other slaves, and from his mother. Eventually, Doña Beatriz frees his mother, but promises that she will free Juan before she dies. She keeps her promise, but a cruel woman, La Marquesa de Prado Ameno, takes him for her own slave before his freedom can be realized. The remainder of the biography focuses on his tortuous life under her domain.

Engle uses free verse poetry to tell the biography from the point of view of different characters: Juan's mother, his two mistresses, the overseer,  and Juan. The personality of each character becomes clear as the poetry exposes their thoughts. When  revealing the thoughts of La Marquesa, Engle skillfully crafts her words to evoke feelings of disgust and horror towards the slave owner: "Some people can never be satisfied,/The poet boy for instance,/Nothing is never enough for him./I have to tell the overseers to teach/the same lessons/over and over/locking his ankles in the stocks/tying him to a cross like Jesus/Or tying him to a ladder laid out on the ground/face down, mouth down/so he cannot speak/except to count his own lashes/. . . /And even when this is done nine days in a row/still he bleeds and weeps,/trying to show me/that he has won/he has triumphed once again/he has proven that he can still/make me sad./Evil child."

As Juan's mother's thoughts bleed out through the poetry, sorrow and compassion spill onto the page:  "Imagine/how I feel/seeing him here/locked in this twisted/position/ankles and neck/in the stocks/my own son./ So I speak/. . ./The first blow/of the whip/on the flesh/of my son/enters/my heart./Teeth and fists/shrieking and kicking/I punch, I attack!/Now we are here together/both twisted/and locked/in our dungeon/of sorrowful/hopes." It is Juan's voice, though, who resounds throughout the book. Filled with hope that cannot be beaten from him, he holds to his dreams and visions: "These rhymes are mine/mine alone/never memorized/or copied/in any way/ /Rhymes about/soaring in spirit/a spark imprisoned/bursting its bonds/of clay/ / Rhymes about feeling delight/wrapped in love/alive/and able/to pray."

When finished with the book, Juan's story lingers in the reader's mind. Engle's words masterfully create images that cannot be shut out simply by closing the book's cover.  As if she senses this response from her readers, Engle offers a historical note that tells what follows after Juan escapes La Marquesa, which includes resources to guide the reader into learning more about this amazing man. She finishes her book with excerpts from some of  Juan's poetry, in his native Spanish, and then her own translation in English.  The Poet Slave of Cuba  exemplifies the power of verse in historical/biographical novels.

AWARDS

Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, 2007 - Winner, United States

IRA Children's and Young Adult Book Award, 2007 - Winner Young Adult- Nonfiction International

Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, 2007 - Special Recognition - United States

Pura Belpre Award, 2008 - Winner Narrative, United States

SUGGESTED ACTIVITY

When teaching a high school history class lesson on slavery during the colonization period, read excerpts from this book to your students, having the students read different roles from the book. Discuss with them the advancement of civil rights in our country, laws that protect children from abuse, and other social issues that show the progression of civilization since the colonization period.

In a high school literature class, use this book to compare and contrast with the horrific abuse experienced by David Pelzer in his autobiography, A Boy Called It. Both of these stories share the same message of hope and the power of overcoming abusive childhoods.

Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano. cover illustration. Internet on-line.  March 2, 2013 from http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=016f03c47f80af1ef8a86d5eb6874f90.