Rima LIII: “Volverán las oscuras golondrinas”

written by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
[I] pp. 359 - 360

Summary:
Swallows will always return, but the familiar ones won’t. The ivy will always creep and bloom, but the familiar ones covered in dew won’t. Likewise, the woman will always return words, but will never return passion or mutual adoration. The broad events will always happen, so it’s those fleeting, specific moments that matter. So appreciate what you have had and what you do have.

Devices:
Bécquer uses anaphora in “Volverán” and the estribillo “ésas … ¡no volverán!” to get the main idea of the poem in the reader’s head. He also uses personification, hyperbaton, a simile (“como lágrimas del día…”), and, at the end, an apostrophe.

Themes:
-carpe diem y memento mori: el tiempo y sus mudanzas
-ganar y perder en el juego de amor: la passion entre el hombre y la mujer
-poesía romantic y modernista del siglo XIX

Rima XI: “Yo soy ardiente, yo soy morena”

written by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
[I] pp. 358

Summary:
Bécquer’s poem talks about the tragic search for love. The poet rejects the first woman, la morena, then la rubia in favor of una fantasma, an impossible love. He chases a love he cannot have and rejects the ones he can.

Devices:
He uses an estribillo of “¿A mí me __? – No __.” and anaphora of “yo soy.” He also uses a metaphor in “yo soy un sueño” and hyperbaton. It has rima consonante in los versos impares and is written in first person. It has four voices.

Themes:
-poesía romántica y modernista del siglo XIX

Rima IV: “No digáis que agotado su tesoro” (habrá poesía)

written by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
[I] pp. 356 - 358

Summary:
Bécquer talks about the eternity of poetry. As long as there is nature (waves, clouds, springtime, etc.), sciences (the sea’s abysses, more mysteries, etc.), human emotions (happiness, clashing minds, etc.), and love (kissing, beautiful women, etc.), habrá poesía. As long has humanity exists, poetry will, too – poetry lives within humanity. Poetry is immortal.

Devices:
He uses, most importantly, the estribillo “¡habrá poesía!” to continually remind the reader of the theme. The poem is also una silva, or has four line stanzas with 11, 7, 11, 7 syllables. It has anaphora of “mientras” in los versos impares, apostrophe in “no digáis,” and personification in “mientras el corazón y la cabeza batallando prosigan.” It is written in third person with rima asonante.

Themes:
-éxtasis y epifanías
-poesía romántica y modernista del siglo XIX