Sandra Cisneros wrote one of the few pieces of modern literature that we studied in high school that I actually LOVED, The House on Mango Street. So finding some of her poetry at the library was exciting.
This collection of poems that she wrote in the 70s reflects the roller coaster of emotions, events, and passionate love affairs that she had in her twenties. Or, as she puts it in her introductory poem, "these are the pearls from that ten-year itch, my jewels, my colicky kids who fussed and kept me up the wicked nights when all I wanted was . . ."
Talk about dot-dot-dot. Ellipses with power!
Sandra Cisneros' writing exudes power. And I never realized until now how fiercely independent she was when it came to men. Not that she shunned them, but these poems speak to her preference to engage in these passionate love affairs that sweep you up and away until the wind goes out of their sails (at which point, well, what's the point anymore?) rather than "settling down" and committing to sharing yourself with another person forever. I shudder to think what we would have lost if she had settled down--what writings would have never come to pass?
I also never knew how much time she spent in Europe. This collection really inspires you to want to grab life by the *ahem* and have grand adventures. Go travel! Go love! Go celebrate!
To be fair to the author's intent, not all of these are positive, adventurous poems; several of them are quite the opposite, depicting people trapped in unhappy circumstances. Cisneros doesn't turn a blind eye to the hardships of life. But she does contrast them beautifully with the adventures to show you that life is all things--good and bad. The point is to live!
Who knows if what I'm taking away is a reflection of her intent…But I was moved by these poems and highly recommend them to others!
~9/10~
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