American Me †Poem Essay

The verse American Me, written by Ninfa Miranda-Maloney, tells the story of a Mexican immigrant who comes to the United States to live the American inhalation. The originator incorporates ethnic aspects with her use of Spanish words sprinkled in amongst the poem. With his spit shine shoes (Miranda-Maloney, n. d, line 10) and brillantina-slick certify hair (Miranda-Maloney, n. d. , line 11), a picture is painted of a young human beings preen in himself as he begins the journey of a lifetime. This is a young man ready for his revolutionary life in America. The tone quickly changes, however, as he probably soon realizes that the dream is not what he had in mind.In San Eli, w here he lived on thank yous and maybes (Miranda-Maloney, n. d. , line 23), the reader gets the sense that the man was taken advantage of and worked hard for little compensation. The most powerful lines in the poem are kissed your sportsmanlike land, broke my back, sweat a fewer tears for a piece of the dre am (Miranda-Maloney, n. d. , lines 27, 28, 29). The author has integrate a racial aspect in the poem by showing referring to the black-and-blue land. This is not his land, this is the white land. He is doing back breaking labor for whites, probably not what he expected as the young man full of hope chasing the American dream.The author also includes social class aspects in this poem. The poem ends with the man, now here in the United States for fifty years, still smelling the onions on his fingertips. (Miranda-Maloney, n. d. ) This leads me to study the man is still running(a) in the onion fields fifty years after arriving in the United States. A generalization can be made that a person from a frown social class would need to continue to work past retirement age to make ends meet. I grew up in a poor neighborhood in California. My community included many immigrants here in the United States both illegally and legally.The immigrants I pick up known throughout my life are genera lly proud Americans, though there are the few that grow bitter because their American ideals and dreams realize not been met. They work hard doing difficult work for little money and not much appreciation. spot I wear outt personally identify with the poem, I am able to sympathize with the timber as he could represent a number of people I know. My grandmother emigrated to California in the lead my mother was born. She came to the States with the dream of giving her children a better life than the one theyd likely have in El Salvador.Throughout my life, shes told me the stories of moving here and settling the family in the area. It was difficult for her, working many hours as a maid, but she did it for the benefit of her children. Many times throughout her first few years in the states, she considering going back home. The dream she envisioned was hardly her reality at first. I cant imagine how difficult it would be to go to a different country where you dont speak the language or know the culture but it happens regularly in this country. At the end of the day, the United States is a country made up of immigrants, most of which are just chasing the dream as well.