Module 4 Biographical Poetry: The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano

Engle, Margarita. (2006) The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano. Ill. Sean Qualls. New York: Henry, Holt and Company, LLC. ISBN-10: 978080507763 ISBN-13: 978-0-8050-7706-3

The Poet Slave of Cuba is based on the autobiographical notes of Cuban poet Juan Francisco Manzano, born a slave in 1797. Margarita Engel was haunted by Juan’s story and felt compelled to tell the story, as only a poet would want his story told - by another poet in verse form. This story is about childhood slavery expressed with the brutal truth of Juan’s suffering and his survival.

Slavery! Slavery is usually associated with African-Americans; however, there is and has been slavery in every culture. This story is a depiction of just one of those cultures. Slavery of a child – brutal, descriptive, repulsive and heart wrenching. Juan was born a slave and was taken by his wealthy slave owner to be her pet. He was shown off as a prized poodle, required to call her mama (although he had a mother) and was made to perform for her friends. Juan was a very intelligent boy who could memorize and recite what he had heard. He would recite stories and poems for his owner and her friends. Upon the death of his mistress, he became the property of an owner, who was much crueler, and who subjected Juan to beatings and starvation. His talents of his story telling helped him to survive. This story begins at age 6 and ends when he was finally able to escape at 16. Margarita Engle has taken Juan’s story and together with his voice tells us about himself, his mother, the cruel owners, the white boy who tried to help and Juan’s amazing strength to survive the unspeakable cruelty that a child should never have to experience. This story is told in verse displaying Margarita Engle’s strength in storytelling. Sean Qualls’ black and white pictures captured the expressions of the suffering Juan was experiencing. There is also a brief historical note at the end of the book. This book is for older readers, due to the content on child abuse.

Juan

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
(Excerpt from The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano, p. 64)

This book will be great to partner with Social Studies on slavery. It would also work well having students read the characters out loud for poetry performance.