Ballad of the Two Grandfathers

Caribbean Poetry
“Ballad of the Two Grandfathers” &
“The Grandfather” – Nicolas Guillen
Name(s): _________________________
________________________________
Before reading the poem and responding to the questions below, read the biographical
information at the top of the page about the poet, Nicolas Guillen, and fill in the ‘author
information’ in your Caribbean Literature unit worksheet packet.
Read the poem, “Ballad of the Two Grandfathers”, discuss the ideas below, and respond
to the following questions.
1. DEFINE the following words.
From the biographical information:
mulatto:
decry:
avant-garde (English usage, not just the French translation):
From the poems:
humid:
galleon:
tremulous:
indelibly:
2. What two ethnic backgrounds does Nicolas Guillen come from?
Note: Guillen made a noted effort to write “lyrical” (musical sounding) poetry that reflected his
Cuban and his African ancestry. He also used a lot of ONOMATOPOEIA in his poetry. Not all of this
comes through as strongly in the English translations ☹ There are still a lot of SOUND DEVICES…
3. Find at least five examples of RHYME pairs at the ending of lines in the poem.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Where/when in the poem does Guillen use rhymes? (beginning? middle? end?) Where does he
not? Why do you think he might have chosen to do that?
4. Find at least three examples of CONSONANCE and three of ASSONANCE (look especially
again at the ending of lines in the poem, though you may find additional examples
throughout).
(OVER)

CONSONANCE:
ASSONANCE:
1) 1)
2) 2)
3) 3)
Where/when in the poem does Guillen use assonance and consonance? (beginning? middle?
end?) Where does he not? Why do you think he might have chosen to do that?
5. COMPARE/CONTRAST: Make a list of the descriptive details about Guillen’s grandfathers:
White-Cuban) Grandfather
Black-African Grandfather
6. What do you think is the most striking or powerful similarity? What do you think is the most
striking or powerful contrast? Explain your choices.
7. Had they known each other, what kind of relationship would Guillen’s “grandfathers” (the two
sides of his family tree) have most likely had with each other?
8. The last stanzas of the poem include more similarities than differences as Guillen describes the
grandfathers, and in line 53 “the two embrace.” What impact do these final images have on the
poem’s THEME? State the THEME of the poem in your answer.
Read the poem “The Grandfather”. It is about a woman who looks like a white person, but has
African blood/ancestry.
9. Briefly SUMMARIZE the poem, then state the THEME.