Literary Treasure

from Versos Sencillos by Jose Marti


Yo quiero salir del mundo

Por la puerta natural:

En un carrro do hojas verdes

A morir me han de llevar


No me pongan en lo oscuro

A morir como un triador:

!Yo soy bueno, y como bueno

Morire de cara al sol!

Translation:
from Simple Verses

I wish to leave the world

By it's natural door;

In my tomb of green leaves

They are to carry me to die.


Do not put me in the dark

To die like a traitor;

I am good, and like a good thing

I will die with my face to the sun


I first read this poem in one of my brothers school books one day. I really didn't understand what it meant, mostly because i really couldn't read Spanish. The next time I saw that poem was in seventh grade in a book, but i didn't pay much attention to it. The i see it in my tenth grade English book. I finally read it and i under stood it.

The poem is about dieing, but dieing with dignity and as a good person. The second stanza is saying that he is good so he will die as a good person and not like a traitor. This poem is very deep and emotional. I am sure that almost everyone wants to die as a good person and not like a traitor to his people. Its human nature to want to die looking good in the eyes of someone else, weather its family, a loved one, or to God.

A Morir from Versos Sincillos by Jose Marti explains how everyone would like to die, facing the sun. This poem is beautiful and i recommend to everyone to memorize it by heart. I also recommend people to read other writings by Jose Marti. I'm sure they will make everyone have a new perspective of life.