Community health saw a notable uplift, with treatments for dysentery and vaccinations against prevalent childhood illnesses implemented. Unlike educational progress, many health care gains weathered the Contra storm. Despite some setbacks, infant mortality rates fell, and overall public health improved. The Sandinista government's dedication to advancing education and healthcare remains a testament to Alegría’s tireless advocacy.

Committed Generation

La generacion comprometida, or the Committed Generation, emerged as a bold initiative from the intellectual circles of Central America's middle and upper echelons. Their mission: to wield the power of literature as a catalyst for social justice. Alegría’s poetic vision aligns with this movement, infusing her works with profound themes of justice and human rights. Her poem “Accounting” stands as a testament to these ideals, weaving thought-provoking references throughout.

Elegy

Rooted in the classical traditions of Greek and Latin poetry, the elegy once served as a contemplative reflection, often pondering mortality, love, or a vast array of life’s occurrences. In the Elizabethan era, it evolved into a lamenting love poem, a lover’s lament. By the seventeenth century, the elegy had become a somber tribute to the deceased, celebrating their life’s journey. Over the years, it has also taken on the role of pondering solemn events. In Alegría’s “Accounting,” the elegy morphs into a vessel for introspection, where the poet evaluates the tapestry of her life experiences.

Imagery

Imagery breathes life into the words of a poem by crafting vivid mental pictures. Through the interplay of images, poets embed layers of meaning, conjuring scenes with their choice of language. Consider the phrase “skipping puddles,” which paints a picture of youthful exuberance, a child delighting in the aftermath of rain. Or “the first wail of my daughter,” an evocative image of birth and the profound joy of new life. Such images invite readers to experience a poet’s memories, rather than merely read about them.

Memoir

A memoir captures the essence of an individual’s memories, offering glimpses into significant episodes of their life. Alegría’s poem distills the core of the memoir into verse, presenting her life’s narrative with poetic brevity. Here, she unveils her personal history to her readers, inviting them to glean insights into her world. Typically, memoirs follow a chronological order, yet Alegría’s approach defies convention, arranging her life events in a sequence imbued with personal significance.

Narrative Poem

Narrative poems weave stories through verse. In “Accounting,” Alegría recounts her life’s journey, sharing intimate snapshots of the pivotal moments that shaped her being. Her narrative poem functions akin to an autobiography, yet with a creative twist—events unfold not in a linear fashion, but in an order that resonates with personal meaning.

Free Verse

The term “poem” typically suggests a literary creation marked by emotion, imagination, and depth, occasionally adhering to specific forms like sonnets or couplets, recognized by set lengths and rhyme schemes. Poems may also be divided into stanzas, akin to paragraphs, with a defined rhythm of stressed or unstressed syllables. Yet, Alegría's work distinguishes itself as free verse, flowing seamlessly from one expression to the next, unfettered by punctuation or stanza breaks. In just over 100 meticulously chosen words, each word bears significance, propelling the poem forward. Modern poetry gifts poets the liberty to explore style beyond traditional constraints, yet the quest for stirring emotional responses endures, maintaining poetry’s deeply personal nature.

1990s Nicaragua: In May 1997, university students embarked on a fervent protest against the government's decision to slash nine million dollars from the university budgets. What began as a peaceful demonstration soon erupted into chaotic street battles, leaving many injured and numerous individuals detained.

1990s United States: Historically, U.S. campuses have seen scattered student protests, primarily over tuition increases or cuts in financial aid. However, it is rare for students to engage in prolonged demonstrations over budgetary issues. In recent years, the most fervent protests have centered on the U.S.'s involvement in foreign conflicts, sparking the strongest non-economic demonstrations.

1990s Nicaragua: By 1998, Nicaragua held the unfortunate distinction of having the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Central America. It was estimated that between forty and forty-five percent of pregnancies involved girls aged fourteen to nineteen. These young mothers faced a grim reality, unable to continue their education or secure employment to support their children. Furthermore, they often encountered social ostracism and rejection from their own families.

1990s United States: Similarly, the United States witnessed a rise in teenage and unwed pregnancies over the last two decades. Many school districts encouraged pregnant teenagers to remain in school and frequently provided special programs tailored to their unique needs. Additionally, various community initiatives worked tirelessly to offer health care and social services to single mothers.

1990s Nicaragua: In 1997, accusations flew that the Nicaraguan government sought to muzzle opposition radio and newspaper outlets. This was partly fueled by media reports covering student protests, which included instances of police aggression. However, efforts to shut down the dissenting media were thwarted by public outcry demanding an inquiry.

1990s United States: Although the government did not attempt to close media outlets critical of its actions, there was an ongoing debate about the stifling effect of large corporate ownership on free speech. In many cities, numerous radio stations, television channels, and local newspapers were owned by the same corporate giants, often resulting in a lack of diverse viewpoints.

1990s Nicaragua: Despite abortion being illegal in Nicaragua, it was a common reality. Wealthier women had relatively safer access to medical abortions, whereas poorer women were forced to resort to perilous alternatives, putting their lives at great risk.

1990s United States: Abortion remained legal in the United States, though it continued to be a deeply divisive issue. Alongside the legal challenges, there were numerous violent attacks targeting abortion clinics and the doctors who provided these services.

1990s Nicaragua: The number of women working outside the home in Nicaragua steadily rose since the early 1980s. Predominantly, they found employment in low-wage sectors, such as domestic service and agriculture. Despite the increasing female workforce, few men participated in domestic responsibilities, leaving women to shoulder the burden of household duties along with their jobs outside the home.

1990s United States: In the United States, more women than ever before rose to managerial positions or served as directors of major corporations. However, the persistent wage gap lingered, with women earning approximately 30 percent less than their male counterparts for similar roles.

Sources

Agosín, Marjorie, “The Volcano’s Flower,” in Americas, Vol. 51, No. 1, January–February 1999, pp. 48–53.

Alegría, Claribel, “Accounting,” in Fugues, Curbstone Press, 1993, p. 31.

—, “Summing Up,” in La Mujer del Rio (Woman of the River), translated by D. J. Flakoll, University of Pittsburgh Press, 1989, p. 89.

Boschetto-Sandoval, Sandra Maria, “Alegría, Claribel,” in Contemporary World Writers, 2d ed., edited by Tracy Chevalier, St. James Press, 1993, pp. 14–16.

Engelbert, Jo Anne, “Claribel Alegría and the Elegiac Tradition,” in Claribel Alegría and Central American Literature: Critical Essays, edited by Sandra M. Boschetto-Sandoval and Marcia Phillips McGowan, Ohio University Center for International Studies, 1994, pp. 183–99.

Hammond, Gerald, The Reader and Shakespeare’s Young Man Sonnets, Macmillan, 1981, pp. 71–72.

Innes, Paul, Shakespeare and the English Renaissance Sonnet: Verses of Feigning Love, St. Martins, 1997, pp. 125–26.

McGowan, Marcia Phillips, “Closing the Circle: An Interview with Claribel Alegrí,” in Claribel Alegría and Central American Literature: Critical Essays, edited by Sandra M. Boschetto-Sandoval and Marcia Phillips McGowan, Ohio University Center for International Studies, 1994, pp. 228–45.

Moyers, Bill, “Claribel Alegría,” in The Language of Life: A Festival of Poets, edited by James Haba, Doubleday, 1995, pp. 5–16.

Review of Fugues, in Booklist, Vol. 95, Issue 5, November 1, 1998, p. 483.

Review of Fugues, in Publishers Weekly, Vol. 240, No. 42, October 18, 1993, p. 69.

Shakespeare, William, “Sonnet 55,” in The Norton Shakespeare, Based on the Oxford Edition: Romances and Poems, W. W. Norton, 1997, p. 587.

—, “Sonnet 81,” in The Norton Shakespeare, Based on the Oxford Edition: Romances and Poems, W. W. Norton, 1997, p. 596.

Valenzuela, Luisa, Review of Fugues, at www.curbstone .org, (last accessed May 17, 2004).

Further Reading

Agosín, Marjorie, ed., These Are Not Sweet Girls: Latin American Women Poets, White Pine Press, 1995. This anthology of Latin American poets includes poets from the beginning to the end of the twentieth century. The poems are arranged thematically, and the editor has included lesser-known poets to balance the inclusion of those who are well known.

Alegría, Claribel, Death of Somoza, Curbstone Press, 1996. This is a nonfiction book that reads like a novel, as the author relates the attempts of Somoza’s own selfappointed assassins to murder the dictator.

Heyck, Denis Lynn Daly, Life Stories of the Nicaraguan Revolution, Routledge, 1990. This book contains the stories of twenty-four individuals. The book is divided into political lives, religious lives, and survivors’ lives.

Kunzle, David, The Murals of Revolutionary Nicaragua, 1979–1992, University of California Press, 1995. After the Sandinista revolution in 1979, more than 300 murals were created that depicted the issues that Nicaragua was facing at the time of the revolution. After the Sandinista government was voted out of office in 1990, many of the murals were destroyed. This book is one way to preserve them.

Ramirez, Sergio, and D. J. Flakoll, Hatful of Tigers: Reflections on Art, Culture and Politics, Curbstone Press, 1995. This book is a collection of essays that explores the U.S. involvement in supporting the Somoza dictatorship in the 1960s and 1970s. It is very much an indictment of U.S. policy in Central America.

Randall, Margaret, and Floyce Alexander, eds., Risking a Somersault in the Air: Conversations with Nicaraguan Writers, Curbstone Press, 1990. This book is a collection of interviews with fourteen Nicaraguan writers whose writings were important in the period leading up to and following Nicaragua’s revolution.

Rushdie, Salman, The Jaguar Smile: A Nicaraguan Journey, Henry Holt, 1997. This book was the result of Rushdie’s 1986 visit, during which he witnessed events as diverse as political protests and poetry recitals. Rushdie also includes interviews with soldiers and observations about ordinary life in Nicaragua.