now on
—His last name? — I asked, surprised.
Nicolás Guillén died in 1989 without ever finding his African surname. El apellido remains an open wound, a poem that refuses closure. For English-speaking readers, this translation opens the door to one of the most powerful anti-colonial poems ever written. The name “Nicolás Guillén” is now world-famous – but the poem reminds us that fame does not heal history.
, published as a bilingual edition. This translation is often included in anthologies of his work, such as Man-making Words: Selected Poems of Nicolás Guillén
He smiled bitterly. —Then I will die without a last name. And when they bury me, they will only be able to write on my grave: “Here lies a man.”
—His last name? — I asked, surprised.
Nicolás Guillén died in 1989 without ever finding his African surname. El apellido remains an open wound, a poem that refuses closure. For English-speaking readers, this translation opens the door to one of the most powerful anti-colonial poems ever written. The name “Nicolás Guillén” is now world-famous – but the poem reminds us that fame does not heal history. el apellido nicolas guillen english translation
, published as a bilingual edition. This translation is often included in anthologies of his work, such as Man-making Words: Selected Poems of Nicolás Guillén —His last name
He smiled bitterly. —Then I will die without a last name. And when they bury me, they will only be able to write on my grave: “Here lies a man.” El apellido remains an open wound, a poem