This exerpt is from a review of Midday Shadows published in Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol.299, Chicano Writers, Third Series
by Jesus Rosales
© Dictionary of Literary Biography 1999
The Gale Group
27500 Drake Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48331Ibáñez's book of poetry, Midday Shadows, was published in 1980. He considers this collection a summary of existential concerns that date back to his childhood. In defining his work Ibáñez believes that poems, like any other form of art exists to comfort and inspire, depending on each individual's personal interpretation. Midday Shadows is divided into four parts each containing twenty one poems that emphasize the image of light as one overflowing with sentiment (lyrical) and spiritual symbolism (mystical). Part I is sub-titled: "Opening Our Eyes, We Eventually See The Light." Part II: "We Walk Unknown Paths And Never See The Trees." Part III: "We Landed On The Moon But Failed To Capture Its Light." Part IV: "Closing Our Eyelids, We Are Surrounded By Darkness And Sleep." All four parts explore humankind's relation with nature, particularly with the concept of light as a source of life and existential meaning. The poems in their complete readings seem to suggest that man is illuminated by the physical nature of light but fails to understand its symbolic meaning.
Ibáñez has emphasized that the one concern he wanted to present in this book was "humanity's inhumanity to nature." In other words, he feels that even though God has provided us with a wonderful place to live (witnessed daily by the magic of nature: the warmth of the sun, a fragile drop of water, the cycle of life), tragically humankind is frequently responsible for disturbing its beauty. In his poetry, Ibáñez personifies nature providing it with feelings of anger over those elements (including humankind) that intend to disrupt its harmony. For the most past, the imposing physical presence of nature is presented as a dynamic and powerful force throughout the collection. One senses nature's superiority over humanity as it is represented through images that demonstrate the overwhelming power that it has over him. The following excerpt from the poem, "Rayos of the Sun" (Rays of the Sun), provides examples of the raw power of nature and its demand on society to acknowledge it. It seems that humankind has been capriciously insensitive to its strength, leaving nature with no alternative but to warn him of the possible consequences that may result from this negligence:
The sun's rays
accompanied by the wind
brush every blade of grass
that stands or bows.
people with multi-faces
laugh and go throughout world
making codes and proclamations
thanking God for life.
the clouds in the sky
release their anguish
on every plant and person.
a furious wind roars
through the trees
shouting in the ears of every person:
"Look at me! And Beware!"
Nature holds a very important place in Ibáñez's poetry but existential questions are also part of his thematic priorities. Ibáñez writes about humankind's purpose in life and the anguish that results from the possibility of not finding answers that justify his existence. To him, humankind will always be searching for existential purpose and meaning, both in this world and the one that exists after death. Life presents a constant struggle between the mind and the soul. It is his faith and the presence of a Supreme God that provides him with the courage to overcome this anguish. "Just Wondering" delves into questions of existential concerns and the poet's obsessive desire to find answers to them. Ibáñez's use of the Spanish language suggest an intent to search the most intimate corners of his being, hoping that in this cultural dichotomy, he may find possible solutions:I often wonder
what it's all about.
Our reason for being here
has been asked
a million times over
the years of our existence
Para qué es todo? (What is everything all about?)
The human mind
and soul two different
things yet running in unison
debate over it!
Padre de mis padres (Father of my parents)
te ruego (I beg)
que me oigas. (That you hear me)
If there is no heaven
then at least let there be peace of mind
"Nacer" (To Be Born) explores the mystery of birth, which is identified as a fleeting experience that will intrigue humankind throughout life. People seem incapable of grasping the true essence of life for it presents itself as an ubiquitous shadow, luring one to believe that life, in reality, is not made up of a series of tangible events and experiences, but a series of constant dreams, "dreams to be born again", over and over. As a result, death is also presented as surreal. It "creeps" and "dances" over people, moving stealthily over them, torturing mercilessly, forcing them ultimately to utter: "We are the walking dead"
Several poems deal with the process of maturation, stressing the fast-paced lifestyle of an individual coming of age. Life is to be enjoyed at any cost, without regard to any negative consequences that might result from the experiences lived. Images of car racing speeds through country roads ("Highway 44"), excessive intoxication ("On a Binge"), erotic fantasies ("Enticement"), are several examples of the growing insecurities that face a young man's maturation process. For many, some of these experiences represent a brief but difficult phase of a normal life. Ibáñez, however, introduces them to complement the existential questions that are expressed throughout the book.
An important characteristic in Midday Shadows is Ibáñez's use of various cultural images in an effort to provide essential Mexican American elements to his universal themes. Two of these are, la lechuza (the barn owl), and la llorona (the wailing woman), both appearing at night causing fear among those who believe in their powers. La lechuza is said to personify an evil witch armed with curses and tragic spells, while la llorona prowls through the night searching for her dead children. Ibáñez understands the uniqueness of the cultural interpretation of this "barn owl" and this "wailing woman" among the Mexican American, and wisely, does not intend to translate its meaning. La lechuza and la llorona not only represent ominous popular icons, but reflect a state of mind that dictates a set of values (good vs. evil) for many Mexican Americans.
There are other cultural images, such as mestizos (half Indian, half European), quelites (pigweeds), las piscas (the harvests), las labores (the working fields), among many others that identify a particular Mexican American cultural experience (many having to do with working in the cotton fields); but none is constantly more present in this collection than the mesquite tree.
Long associated with the terrain of the Southwest, the mesquite is portrayed as a living organism possessing human qualities. For the Mexican American, the mesquite is presented as a positive entity that is strongly identified with Chicano culture. The poem "Mestizo" offers an example of the symbolic connection that exists between the Chicano and the tree, for it shows the mestizo as an essential component in the cycle of life. The mesquite acknowledges this and acts responsibly to perpetuate the world by offering him to the gods:The mesquites
in offering
lifted the mestizos Taking 'em to the altar of the sun
they prayed for the brown faces
sons of the sun The moon smiled,
embracing and cuddling 'em
she gave them a kissThe images in this poem reminds one of the powerful pre-Columbian rituals where human beings were sacrificed for the purpose of prolonging life. The "altar of the sun," and the reference to the smiling moon, could well be identified with the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon structures in the city of Teotihuacan in Mexico. The mesquites represent the priests that nourish their hungry gods in a effort to maintain the universe alive. The mesquites, by emulating the rituals of these ceremonial priests, preserve life and, as a result, the existence of a culture represented by the brown skin of the mestizo.
Besides this strong cultural connection with the Mexican American culture, the mesquite is consistently present when man experiences individual mental vulnerabilities; as when man feels a lack of moral power and questions his purpose in life ("Sitting Alone"), and walks aimlessly through the world meditating over death ("The Walking Man"). In other words, man and tree seem inseparable; both feeding from the shadow of the other. In the poem "Just a Tree," Ibáñez expresses man's desperate desire for salvation by trying to find a sense of place in this world. This effort will be fruitless, for he soon discovers that, like himself, the tree is destined to experience a similar fate:
I wish
that i could be
a tree
a mesquite
that lives
like it does.
But,
how can i
say such a thing
if it too
searches the heavens
with its outstretched limbs
and has nothing
but its armsThe poem suggests that the physical body of man offers limitations that are impossible to break. The heaven symbolizes the untouched, the overwhelming mystery that remains unsolved, forcing people to accept things that they are incapable of understanding.
Perhaps the most visible cultural aspect of Ibáñez's work is reflected in the language that he uses to express his poetry. Some poems are written in English, others in Spanish and many in a combination of both, a style that Ibáñez refers to as Tex-Mex. Ibáñez believes that the Mexican American who combines the two languages presents his true reality, for they speak and function culturally in Spanish and in English.
The use of Ibáñez's Tex-Mex in his poetry is not necessarily innovative. Many Chicanos, primarily those from the 1960s, used this and other linguistic representations to express their Chicano experience. The poems where Ibáñez mixes the two languages are written to highlight cultural sensibilities that need to be said in Spanish; otherwise, its cultural message will lose impact in the translation. Many of the untranslated words in Spanish deal with Mexican American cultural icons as previously mentioned: la lechuza and la llorona. Others describe the type of work traditionally associated with Mexican Americans: el sembrador (one who seeds the land) and el piscador (one who harvests the land). Complete sentences and phrases in Spanish are used to express emotions, for the most part, relating the long suffering of his people: Las lágrimas de almas lloronas ("the tears of crying souls" [89]), los gritos de aires en batalla ("sounds of battling winds fill the air" [89]), este llorido ensucia las sábanas ("these crying sounds soil the bedspreads" [91]). In choosing this type of bilingual expression, Ibáñez tries to clearly demonstrate a desire to direct his poetry to a selected readership: one who is bilingual and bicultural, and can relate intimately to these experiences.
A substantial number of poems are written entirely in Spanish. This creates even more limitations for many readers, including Chicanos, for many of them are not bilingual. By using Spanish in his poetry, Ibáñez sends symbolic messages to non-Mexican Americans and to Chicanos. To the non-Mexican American, Ibáñez is demanding to be accepted as he is, for he demonstrates his unwillingness to lose part of his identity by expressing himself solely in the language of the dominant culture. To the Chicano, Ibáñez tries to emphasize that language is identity and that Spanish needs to survive if the Chicano culture is to be fully understood.
