Spring 2015
“Educación del Cacique” portrays the epic hero bred by
nature. Unlike familiar epic heroes – Odysseus, Aeneas, Beowulf
– the cacique (tribal chief) takes his education directly from nature
and not from the history and politics of humankind, or gods
fashioned in our image. Like the hero of Mali’s epic (Sundiata),
the cacique begins in silence, observing his world and especially
the forces of power. He absorbs the qualities of speed and power
and endurance, contending with harsh weather and swift, agile,
and rapacious creatures. He battles bandits on the road and
threatening armies and covers himself in bloody victory. He dines
at his people’s campfires, races the wild llama on its hillsides, robs
the eagle of his meal, sleeps below snowdrifts and hardens himself
on the mountain crags. He gains the arrow’s speed and the force
of hurricane. And, only then, is he worthy of his people. Neruda
means to compare the pale leadership of our world with the heroism
of natural force and the close bond of community. The poem’s
active verbs punctuate each lesson.
Agueybana, el bravo, Taino Cacique,
memorial in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Educación del Cacique
LAUTARO era una flecha delgada.
Elástico y azul fue nuestro padre.
Fue su primera edad sólo silencio.
Su adolescencia fue dominio.
Su juventud fue un viento dirigido.
Se preparó como una larga lanza.
Acostumbró los pies en las cascadas.
Educó la cabeza en las espinas.
Ejecutó las pruebas del guanaco.
Vivió en las madrigueras de la nieve.
Acechó la comida de las águilas.
Arañó los secretos del peñasco.
Entretuvo los pétalos del fuego.
Se amamantó de primavera fría.
Se quemó en las gargantas infernales.
Fue cazador entre las aves crueles.
Se tiñeron sus manos de victorias.
Leyó las agresiones de la noche.
Sostuvo los derrumbes del azufre.
The Linnet's Wings
Lautaro was a fine arrow
Supple and blue was our father.
In youth he was only silent.
His adolescence was powerful.
His youth was a guiding wind.
It shaped him like a long lance.
His feet were at home in waterfalls.
His head used to spines
He challenged the guanaco’s trails.
Lived in the drifts of snow.
Stole food from eagles.
Scratched out the secrets of the crags.
Played among petals of fire.
Nursed from the chilly springtime.
Burned himself in infernal gorges.
Hunted among birds of prey.
Bloodied his cloak in victories.
Read the night’s aggressions.
Suffered brimstone avalanches.