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I Was My Own Route

- Julia de Burgos

Born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Julia de Burgos (1914-1953) moved to New York, where she worked as a journalist, and then Cuba, where she pursued further studies at the University of Havana. Returning to New York after two years in Cuba, de Burgos, a freedom fighter, served as the art and culture editor for the progressive newspaper Pueblos Hispanos. Predating the Nuyorican poetry movement, de Burgos’ poems deal with themes of women’s liberation and social justice. A precursor to the contemporary Latina/o writers, de Burgos, in her poem “I was my Own Route,” depicts how the women are burdened with the patriarchal ideologies from the past. Therefore, de Burgos urges the women to detach themselves from the past so as to locate their identity within.

 

• Poem:

I wanted to be like men wanted me to be:

an attempt at life;

a game of hide and seek with my being.

But I was made of nows,

and my feet level on the promissory earth

would not accept walking backwards

and went forward, forward,

mocking the ashes to reach the kiss

of new paths.

At each advancing step on my route forward

my back was ripped by the desperate flapping wings

of the old guard.

 But the branch was unpinned forever,

and at each new whiplash my look

separated more and more and more from the distant

familiar horizons;

and my face took the expansion that came from within,

the defined expression that hinted at a feeling

of intimate liberation;

a feeling that surged

from the balance between my life

and the truth of the kiss of the new paths.

Already my course now set in the present,

I felt myself a blossom of all the soils of the earth,

of the soils without history,

of the soils without a future,

of the soil always soil without edges

of all the men and all the epochs.

And I was all in me as was life in me .. . .

I wanted to be like men wanted me to be:

an attempt at life;

a game of hide and seek with my being.

But I was made of nows;

when the heralds announced me

at the regal parade of the old guard,

the desire to follow men warped in me,

and the homage was left waiting for me.. . . . . . . . . .

• Glossary

promissory (adj.): containing or conveying a promise

whiplash (n.): a blow with a whip

epochs (n.): periods of time in history or a person’s life, especially the ones marked by

important events of special characteristics

regal (adj.): of, like or fit for a king or queen; royal

warped (adj.): twisted out of normal or natural shape; strange and unpleasant

homage (n): things said or done to show great respect

• Summary:

A precursor to the contemporary Latina/o writers, de Burgos, in her poem “I was my Own Route,” depicts how the women are burdened with the patriarchal ideologies from the past. Therefore, de Burgos urges the women to detach themselves from the past so as to locate their identity within. The poem focuses on the personal freedom and liberation of women. She is looking for fresh ways to navigate her journey, choosing her own path. This poem makes agenda of gender discrimination as a response to the social inequality that existed at the time as articulated by Julia de Burgos (1938).

In her home nation, the United States, she tells about her life as an oppressed woman. A lady of African origin, she was interested in identifying her own individuality and her ambitions. She desired equal opportunities, privileges, and advantages, and also demanded that these qualities must be present in this sexist and unequal society.

This poem proves that a woman should never feel less important than men or that her life should be subject to the beliefs of others since she is not ruled by society. As the poem goes on to say, he shouldn’t play “hide and seek” with her soul. Rather, she has to keep going, even if there are barriers.

This poem is thoughtful, with a rebellious nature, as the author expresses a dislike for traditional societal norms. She alone can choose who she is and what she must accomplish.

»Conclusion:

“I was my own my route” indicates dissatisfaction with the rules and limitations of society. This poem encouraged the women of the 30-year-old who fought for their rights to be conscious of three extremely essential factors: their potential as women, their own lives and their own feelings. This poem teaches us about independence, freedom, and to pursue our own path, even if we have trouble or others don’t realize that we are leaving what is expected of us. This poem is still relevant, since contrary to what we think, there is a cultural barrier for many women who cannot take over their lives and don’t have the freedom to choose.

Understanding the text

 

Answer the following questions.

a.       Why did the speaker try to be the way men wanted her to be?

Answer:  The speaker tried to be the way men wanted her to be because she was curious to see what the males expected of her and how they would act as a result of their patriarchal male concept.

b.       What do you understand by her feet ‘would not accept walking backwards’?

Answer:  By her feet ‘would not accept walking backwards’, We understand that she refused to accept males’ inferior concept of females and instead desired to race like males with equal resources in order to achieve the ultimate objective of independence and equality.

c.       Who are the old guards? Why did they grow desperate?

Answer:  The old guards are traditionalists who are obsessed with the patriarchal system. They grow desperate when they see the poetess improving the lives of the poor and striving for their independence.

d.       How did the speaker have ‘a feeling of intimate liberation’?

Answer:  As she crossed the patriarchal society’s barrier and kissed a new path of liberation, rejecting the old one defined by males, the speaker had “a feeling of intimate liberation.”

e.       Why did the speaker’s desire to follow men warp in her?

Answer:  Because of the pre-established patriarchal society and its rules, the speaker’s desire to follow men warped in her. She desired freedom and pleasure, but she was compelled to adapt to men’s established concepts and ideas.

 

 

Reference to the Context

 

a.       What does the speaker mean when she says she was playing a game of hide and seek with her being’?

Answer:  When the speaker says she was playing a game of hide and seek with her being in the third line of the first stanza and again at the end of the poem, she means to demonstrate her rebellious character and rejection of masculine mentality that restricts women within four walls. It also suggests that she requires liberation in order to break free from the gender stereotype picture of females and pursue her own path.

 

b.       Why, in your view, was her back ripped by the old guards as she was advancing forward?

Answer:  In my view, her back was ripped by the old guards as she was advancing forward because as she progressed, the old guard created several obstacles, traditions, norms, and threats of patriarchal ideology. The old guards relate to ancient traditions, cultures, norms, and patriarchy-determined values in this context, yet she requires liberation and race in her desire for freedom. As a result of the limits, hindrances, barriers, problems, and blockades established by the society’s old guard, her back was ripped and she suffered greatly.

 

c.       What, according to the speaker, did it feel like to be free?

Answer:  According to the speaker, to be free means being able to pursue her dreams and follow her own path without any societal or masculine restrictions. It means walking and feeling like a man, participating in society in every manner as a man, and receiving long-awaited liberation for what they desired. For her, it’s the same as choosing her own path and carrying out her own duty, defying the patriarchal ideology imposed on women by the old guard.

 

d.       Why does the speaker prefer the present to the past?

Answer:  Because her past was unpleasant, difficult, and troublesome, the speaker prefers the present to the past. She had been through a lot in her life. Patriarchal mentality caused her a lot of pain. She was restricted by patriarchal boundaries. She was the one who was made to laugh and play with. She was unaware of her heart’s freedom and emancipation. She was limited in what she could do based on her wishes. She was subjected to abuse, exploitation, and deprivation by her family. However, she currently feels released and free of patriarchal conceptions. Male ideology is collapsing at an alarming rate. Females have begun to reap the benefits of freedom, and strong male-dominated ideas are on the decline in today’s culture. She believes she has complete freedom over her choices and decisions. She is free to work and visit wherever she wants. Hence, the speaker prefers the present to the past.

 

e.       John Donne, in his poem “No Man is an Island”, says, “No man is an island entire of itself.” Would Burgos agree with Donne? Do you agree with Donne or Burgos?

Answer:  John Donne, in his poem “No Man is an Island”, says, “No man is an island entire of itself.” He is referring to the entire human race and their importance in the evolution of society. The expression “no man is an island” represents the belief that humans function poorly when they are isolated from others and must be a part of a society to survive. It signifies that no one is fully self-sufficient and in order to live, everyone must rely on the company and comfort of others. I agree with John Donne and support his concept of societal equality in every aspects. He talks about male and female equality, but Burgos appears angry and upset by the male-dominated culture, and she expresses her displeasure and rejection of male philosophy and ideas that limit women’s liberties and chances in society. She appears to be a radical feminist who not only advocates for female freedom but also challenges male norms and beliefs. In any case, I admire Donne because he advocates for the development of society as a whole, including the advancement of both men and women.

 

 

Reference beyond the text

a. Write an essay on My Idea of Freedom.
b. Not all people, however, seem to agree with the kind of freedom upheld by Burgos in this poem. For example, William Faulkner, in his novel Requiem for a Nun, says, ‘“The past is never dead. It’s not even past. All of us labor in webs spun long before we were born, webs of heredity and environment, of desire and consequence, of history and eternity.” Do you agree with Faulkner? Why? Why not?