Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "The National Day," Salvadoran poet Roque Dalton examInesthe complex relationship between individual and nation, using the backdrop of a national holiday-presumably El Salvador's Independence Day on September 15-as a lens to scrutinize the concept of patriotic celebration. The poem is a study in contrasts, juxtaposing the celebratory atmosphere of the day with the narrator's internal sense of decay and disillusionment.

The poem opens with the unsettling image of waking up "with the means to rot, on humid and hostile ground / like the mouth of a dead coyote." This sets the tone for the entire work, suggesting a disconnection between the individual's lived experience and the nation's public persona. While the country is presumably engaged in festivities that involve the singing of patriotic hymns, the speaker feels like a decaying animal. The "intoxicating gases of hymns" not only indicate the pervasive nature of patriotic songs on such a day but also subtly criticize the blind nationalism that these hymns often incite. The word "intoxicating" is a pointed choice; it alludes to a state of impaired judgment, mirroring how excessive patriotism can cloud rational thought.

This stark contrast raises questions about the reality behind nationalistic celebrations. Dalton challenges the reader to consider whether these festivities are merely a smokescreen, obscuring the societal ills and personal sufferings that might not fit neatly into the picture of a united, proud nation. For the speaker, the "humid and hostile ground" serves as a metaphor for the foundational issues that plague his country, issues that are glossed over amid the fervor of the national day.

Dalton's concise expression serves to heighten the impact of his message. The date "15 of September" serves as a solitary line, anchoring the poem in a specific cultural and temporal context. Its isolation also imbues it with a sense of weight, prompting the reader to consider the collective memory and historical events that are associated with this day. Yet, for the speaker, this date appears as a blight, an ironic reminder of the dissonance between public spectacle and private despair.

The image of the "mouth of a dead coyote" is a haunting one, and it captures the essence of the poem-something lifeless yet evocative, ignored yet glaringly present. It can be seen as a representation of the neglected or downtrodden in society, those who are overlooked in the grand narrative of the nation. The coyote's death is incongruent with the triumphant tone of national hymns, revealing the social discord hidden beneath the facade of unity and celebration.

In all, "The National Day" is a provocative critique of how nations, in the guise of patriotic festivities, often overlook the complexities and disparities that constitute their identity. Dalton compels us to ponder the implications of such selective commemoration, urging a more nuanced, inclusive understanding of what it truly means to celebrate one's mother country.

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