The Lightning Dreamer: Cuba's Greatest Abolitionist

Opposing slavery in Cuba in the nineteenth century was dangerous. The most daring abolitionists were poets who veiled their work in metaphor. Of these, the boldest was Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, nicknamed Tula. In passionate, accessible verses of her own, Engle evokes the voice of this book-loving feminist and abolitionist who bravely resisted an arranged marriage at the age of fourteen, and was ultimately courageous enough to fight against injustice. Historical notes, excerpts, and source notes round out this exceptional tribute. -- image and summary via Goodreads

Reading this for #bookbootcamp today was a pleasure. I am amazed by the woman this story was based on - Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda (1814-1873). She was a feminist and abolitionist in a time when expressing those thoughts was certainly dangerous. Margarita Engle created this novel-in-verse to express some of those ideas. Here are some of the lines that grabbed me as I read.

[the 'she' is her mother who doesn't think women should read]

She sends me to my silent room, 

where I spend quiet hours remembering

the freedom

to read. 

Beyond these convent gates, books

are locked away

and men

hold

the keys.

Some people

are born with words flowing

in their veins.

Just as often, poetry is a free

dance

     of birds in air

             swooping

                     and dipping

in surprising

     directions.

So many people

have not yet learned

that souls have no color

and can never

be owned.

All I need

is paper, ink,

and the courage

to let wild words soar.