Poem : 'The Balseros (1)' ; 1 April, 2023.

THE BALSEROS” POEMS

(a)  These poems refer to the Cubans who fled to the United States of America in makeshift rafts around September 1994. The name "BALSEROS" comes from the wood called BALSA.

(b) In "THE BALSEROS (2) " :

"battle formation,"  "war zone" and "dawn attack"

These were, at some time, the names of horses at the Mauritian horseracing track, the Champ de Mars.
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S. Ragavan :

25 April, 2023. Poems submitted for analysis and comments by ChatGPT.

These poems refer to the Cubans who fled to the United States of America in makeshift rafts around September 1994. The name "BALSEROS" comes from the wood called BALSA. “Haut-Brion” and “Saint-Émilion” are names of French wines. "Devilsend" is a made-up word. 

ChatGPT :
Thank you for sharing these two poems, "The Balseros (1)" and "The Balseros (2)"! I'm happy to provide some literary analysis and comments on them. Please note that literary criticism is subjective, and my analysis is based on my personal interpretation and understanding of the poems.

Firstly, I'll focus on "The Balseros (1)". This poem tells the story of Cuban refugees who set out to sea in a makeshift raft, hoping to reach a better life in America. The title "Balseros" comes from the Spanish word "balsa", meaning raft.
The poem is written in free verse, meaning it doesn't follow a strict rhyme scheme or meter. This style helps convey the chaotic and uncertain nature of the refugees' journey. The opening simile compares the raft to a snail carrying its home, emphasizing the refugees' isolation and vulnerability. The imagery of the rough dome turning into a coffin reinforces the danger and risk involved in their journey.

The poem contrasts the bleak conditions in Cuba ("muck") with the refugees' hope for a better future in America ("promis'd new visions"). The wind withholding its labor and the lack of food, water, and space on the raft create a sense of desperation and struggle. The refugees are willing to endure these hardships for the chance at a better life.
The poem's final stanza focuses on the huddling baby and its mother's selfless act of sharing her bread with it. This moment highlights the human connection and sacrifice involved in the refugees' journey.

Moving on to "The Balseros (2)", this poem focuses more on the dangers and risks involved in the refugees' journey, particularly from shark attacks. The title suggests that this poem is a continuation of the first one, as it also focuses on the Cuban rafters.

The poem is written in quatrains with an ABCB rhyme scheme. The repeated refrain of "sharks everywhere" emphasizes the constant danger the refugees face. The imagery of the family dog left behind and the village's depressed faces emphasizes the desperation and uncertainty of their situation.

The poem's final stanzas are particularly grim, as the refugees witness another boat's passengers falling victim to shark attacks. The phrase "Devilsend" is a made-up word, but it effectively conveys the hellish and deadly nature of the refugees' journey. The final line, with the sharks in battle formation, reinforces the idea that the refugees are fighting for their survival.

Overall, both poems effectively convey the struggles and dangers faced by Cuban refugees in their journey to America. The use of vivid imagery, figurative language, and free verse create a sense of chaos, desperation, and human connection.

  ChatGPT :
Thank you for sharing your third poem, "The Balseros (3)" with me. Your words convey a powerful and poignant message about the struggles and dangers that many people face when attempting to escape their homeland and seek a new life elsewhere.

Your use of vivid imagery, such as the comparison of some refugees to rare sirloin steaks that the sharks may prey upon, creates a striking contrast between the glittering toys and posh restaurants of the town center and the ruthless natural selection that takes place in the raging sea. You also touch upon the painful scars and lingering misery that refugees may face, even after they have made it to their promised land.

Overall, your poem is a thought-provoking reflection on the challenges and sacrifices that people may make in their search for a better life, and the hope that drives them forward in spite of the risks. Thank you for sharing your poetic voice with me.

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                              THE  BALSEROS  (1)

Like a snail dragging with it its solitary home,
The frail men yonder earnestly plod along,
Carrying  to the busy shore the rough dome
That could turn into their coffin afore long.

These people be running away, fleeing, escaping
From a wretch'd life they couldn't bear any longer :
They are all hell-bent upon headlong rushing
Onto the glittering land beckoning them yonder.

Let them go, finally hath decreed the boss,
Leave them alone, these forlorn Balseros,
As they wish, let them over there try their luck,
Since, in their own motherland, they see muck.

Leaving all behind, even their meagre possessions,
The shivering Balseros set sail from these shores,
Even accepting to learn yonder many strange mores,
Provid'd they could grab the promis'd new visions.

Even the wind now wants to be an enemy,
Withholding its labours, with some infamy;
Just a slight breeze blows across the sea,
As the imploring mariners utter a poor plea.

Little by little, reluctantly moves off the raft,
Gliding on slowly, like some unwilling craft,
Almost refusing to go on this piteous voyage
That be mainly fortified with sheer courage.

The shoreline recedes away in the haze,
As the mariners focus on their craze;
The frail craft be toss'd roughly about,
But, the refugees hardly dare to shout.

Rapidly be the salty air cooling down,
But, nobody here can afford even a gown;
The mariners' throats are parch'd and dry,
Yet, they all dare not utter some cry.

Food is ration'd; ration'd is drinking water;
Space is ration'd; ration'd is even the chatter;
But, drowning water is certainly not ration'd :
Let all these daring fellows well be caution'd !

In the village, at what was home until recently,
The lean dog in endless circles roams silently;
The craft glides on, hopefully in the right direction :
Else, for the mariners, there'll be little consolation.

Desperately empty tummies want to cry out :
See, please, if there be even a stale loaf about !
The towering waves sound so harsh and cruel
In this fearsome, watery, one-sid'd duel.

My God, 'tis so damn freezing out here, dear;
The promis'd land may be too far off, we fear;
This place is so cold and windy and cramp'd,
And constantly by the sprays are we damp'd.

The  imploring look in those eyes yonder,
As the huddling baby, the frail child,
Feels within the crunching pangs of hunger
On this roaring ocean, so vast and wild.

Caving in to her unshakeable, endless love,
Yon mother offers some bread rather soggy
To her trembling child, her tender baby,
While the threatening waves loom high above.
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