The meaning behind Lorna Dee Cervantes’ poem, “To a Stranger”

In her poem “A Un Desconocido,” Lorna Dee Cervantes shows her struggle as she seeks her self-identity. The title of the poem, which can be translated as “To a Stranger” shows the poem addressed to an unknown subject. The very first sentence refers to her search for her unknown self-identity as she says, “I was looking for your hair, / black as old lava on an island / of white coral.” The contrasting diction throughout the entire poem is used to emphasize her views on the divisive world she knew as a Chicana and her subordination to men.
The first line points out the search for this stranger’s hair. Even though there is nothing very interesting about hair at a first glance, a single strand of hair can be used as a source of identity. The second sentence follows this idea as she says, “I dreamed it / deserted you and came for me.” The ‘it’ refers to this source of identity and explains how the subject became a stranger.
In the second stanza, the speaker introduces the “male species,” whom she refers to as an “intelligent mammal” and “twin sun to a world / not of [her] making.” In other words, she regards men as high intellectuals and by comparing them to the sun she gives men a sense of power, to which she believes she is submissive. As they are being compared to the sun, men “reduce [her] to the syrup of the moon.” This depicts her belief that in most Mexican households men are superior to women.
The speaker’s struggle on the divisive world she knew is reflected upon her contrasting diction. Throughout the poem she uses contrasting words such as black with white, and the sun with the moon. These contrasts portray a struggle, which is emphasized by her questioning in the third stanza. “Where is your skin parting me? / Where is the cowlick under your kiss / teasing into purple valleys?” This confusion transcends to the reader because by the end of the poem the subject actually becomes unknown, and the struggle continues. The contrasting diction follows the poem until the very last two lines, “If only you were a stone I could / throw, if only I could have you.” To have something and to throw something are still two different things.
Throughout the entire poem, Dee Cervantes’ use of imagery depicts the search itself. The beginning of the poem illustrates the contrasting images of the color “black as old lava on an island / of white coral.” The imagery brings out the poem and allows the reader to feel the poem, wrapped me, desiring fire, smell of wet ashes and kiss teasing into purple valleys. The imagery sets an inviting tone to the reader. It allows the reader to picture the setting and feel the contrast.
In this poem Lorna Dee Cervantes reflects upon the contrasts of the divided world in which she lived, her struggle with her self-identity as a Mexican-American and her observations of women’s subordination. Lorna Dee Cervantes expresses her beliefs and her struggles as a Chicana woman and her imagery allows the reader to experience it too.

Resources:

Dee Cervantes, Lorna. “A Un Desconocido” Poetry Foundation. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/179284>

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