“Ruina” by Federico García Lorca -Poet in New York
Sin encontrarse.
Viajero por su propio torso blanco.
¡Así iba el aire!Pronto se vio que la luna
era una calavera de caballo
y el aire una manzana oscura.Detrás de la ventana,
con látigos y luces, se sentía
la lucha de la arena con el agua.Yo vi llegar las hierbas
y les eché un cordero que balaba
bajo sus dientecillos y lancetas.Volaba dentro de una gota
la cáscara de pluma y celuloide
de la primer paloma.Las nubes, en manada,
se quedaron dormidas contemplando
el duelo de las rocas con el alba.Vienen las hierbas, hijo;
Never finding itself,
traveling through its own white torso
the air made its way!
Soon it was clear that the moon was a horse’s skull, and the air, a dark apple
Behind the window,
with whips and lights, I felt
sand struggling with water.
I saw all the blades of grass arrive
and I threw a bleating lamb
to their little teeth and lancets.
The first dove, encased
in feathers and plastic
flew inside a single drop
The herd of clouds
stayed asleep, watching
the duel between rocks and dawn.
Here comes the grass, son.
Its spit-swords ring
through the empty sky.
The First person dramatic narrative poem, “Ruina”, written by Federico García Lorca and published in his book “Poeta en nueva York” explores the abstract existence of air, embodying death and abandonment, from the point of view of a man with who we presume to be his wife, and the ‘ruin’ of their home. Before reading the poem it can be seen the form is mildly irregular due to sporadic line length put in to stanzas of 3 lines (tercets) and mirrors the shape of waves. We can predict this shape will reflect content in one way or another, so there may be a struggle – possibly through presence of the elements. The poem is a narrative hence we also know rhythm will be created through the use of caesura, spatial pause and enjambment leading to the irregular yet natural rhythm of speech.
Upon first reading the poem we are drawn to the personification “travelling through its own white torso, the air made its way” which creates the visual imagery of ghosts that foreshadows and suggests death. An overt reference to death is later made in the metaphoric statement, “Soon it was clear that the moon was a horse’s skull”. This reference has strong meaning not only because of the skull but as throughout his works Lorca uses the moon to symbolize coming death. The lexis used “white torso”, “skull” and “clear moon” set a grim mood, preparing the reader for a dark content and though these are only some examples, the undertone of death remains throughout.
We are confronted with many strong tones; including death, as well as potentially confusing content due to cultural differences between Spain and England. In the traditional culture of Andalusia, where Lorca was born, herbs can be used to signify death or abandonment as they so rapidly take over abandoned land. “Las hierbas” are a key point in this poem and are mentioned 3 times. The first mention “I saw all the blades of grass arrive”, followed by “Here comes the grass son, it’s spit swords ring” and finally “The grass! Through the houses broken windows…” The three mentions of this grass are used in the poem to show progression of time – initially the grass is visible, then so close it is audible, “It’s spit swords ring” until finally the grass arrives in the house through broken windows. Not only does this show us the advancement of time, but it also creates a sense of foreboding and builds suspense. In the original poem sibilance is also used, “Vienen las hierbas, hijo; ya suenen sus espadas de saliva” to further produce a strong warning of danger.
Additionally, there are many references to struggle within nature, as was earlier hinted at by form. Our initial struggle, “sand struggling with water” reflects the wave- effect of form very well, but later we see a struggle between two members of nature, a “bleating lamb” and “the grass”, competing for land and nutrients and finally we have “the duel between rocks and dawn”. As oppose to simply writing sunrise, Lorca used this adjectival clause to create the strong visual image of a grandiose scale struggle, where the rocks are fighting back the light; despite the inevitable sunrise. This is possibly telling the reader how hard it is for the couple to even survive from one day to the next.
When it is written, “The grass! Through the houses broken windows” it is in direct juxtaposition to the clear and intact window earlier mentioned before danger was evident. This direct contrast emphasises the breaking of the window and due to enjambment a hiatus falls on the next line beginning with “the blood”, it is this blood and broken home which clearly show the reader the endangered lives of the couple, and the decaying of their home.
In the following stanza we have repetitive rhyme of “tú solo y yo quedamos” and “Yo solo y tú quedamos” creating a rhythm diferent to the rest of the poem, and due to punctuation we slow our pace down. This irregular pace and rhyme emphasise the whole stanza, highlighting the bond between the two people – which is evidently very strong as it has withstood all previous struggles.
In the final stanza Lorca writes of looking for a “sleepless profile” and preparing “your skeleton”. When also considering the earlier reference to the air which created visual of imagery of ghosts, I interpret the ending of this poem to be the vital twist. I believe it demonstrates to us the couple passed away in solitude in their own home and are now ghosts – who watched the decay of their abandoned home and did not survive all the problems they faced but to this day attempt to fight them. In my eyes this explains the abandonment of their home and coming of the grass, as well as the extremely strong bond between the two people – who were together in life and remain so in death… yet the poem is called “ruin”, possibly because of the sadness in the passing of this couple, the home they left behind to be taken back by the land, and the struggle they faced before passing.
Written by, Emily Jane Isaac
Mi diario reflexivo de aprendizaje español. 